Live FAST Magazine – The Best of Fashion, Art, Sex and Travelhttp://livefastmag.com
Your daily dose of Fashion, Art, Sex and TravelWed, 21 Feb 2018 21:04:03 +0000en-UShourly1Juliann McCandless’ Latest Book “Opposition” is a Celebration of Intersectionality in the Trump Erahttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/juliann-mccandless-latest-book-opposition-is-a-celebration-of-intersectionality-in-the-trump-era/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/juliann-mccandless-latest-book-opposition-is-a-celebration-of-intersectionality-in-the-trump-era/#respondWed, 21 Feb 2018 21:04:03 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=102111To be a feminist today means more than believing in equal rights for men and women. It is to believe in equal rights for all, seeing past society’s barriers based on race, gender, and class. It is to be intersectional, because the concept of freedom and equality in the Trump era is much larger than simply man or woman. Creative Juliann McCandless explores the concept of liberation in her latest project, Opposition. Focusing on diverse women and femmes within the fashion and visual art industries, the book highlights issue-oriented conversations in the months leading up to and during Donald Trump’s presidency.

In McCandless’ own words, “the goal of these conversations is to not only document these women’s goals, fears, hopes, political opinions, and activism at this critical time in history, but also to spark a conversation that promotes critical thinking while encouraging readers to hold their politicians accountable and fight for the changes the wish to see in their own communities.”

For LA-based folks, head to Girl at the White Horse tonight for the Opposition book launch party. It begins at 10pm and the first 50 people who arrive will receive a free book and gift bag courtesy of DC shoes.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/juliann-mccandless-latest-book-opposition-is-a-celebration-of-intersectionality-in-the-trump-era/feed/0“Notes from the Road” by Brook Power and Zac Taylorhttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/notes-from-the-road-by-brook-power-and-zac-taylor/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/notes-from-the-road-by-brook-power-and-zac-taylor/#respondTue, 20 Feb 2018 21:12:08 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101964We’re pleased to share the following notes and images from lovebirds and collaborators Zac Taylor and Brook Power. Zac captures Brook as she wanders in and out of view on a waning desert day and Brook shares her innermost thoughts on creating in the midst of desolate beauty. Dive in below to read her words and see his point of view.

We are still on the road.

Not sure where. Alongside the train tracks somewhere in this cacti strewn country.

I’ve been having a reoccurring daydream lately, of an army of Sequoia, pulling their roots up from the desert and lurching into motion. Some are crawling over the dusty ground and laughing from jagged thorn crowded mouths.

Then I see the sequoias bursting into bloom. The neon orange and pink flora suddenly demobilizes them. Their limbs sag heavily on the ground and there’s a hush. Little horned lizards lick dew drops from the petals the next morning and crawl over the fallen bodies.

My husband thinks I’m nuts. He’s driving. His face is scruffy. He looks content. Maybe because his whole life is moving with him down the road.

I imagine this land is thirsty.

And when it rains, I would be able to hear an audible sigh of thirst quenching. Hell, I’m always thirsty out here.

We hiked four miles underground into a cavern yesterday. Baby boy loved to hear his little shrieks echoing across the caves. Even for all of its crystals, stalagmites, and dark corners, I couldn’t wait to see the gleam of blue sky again.

I raced the dogs on gleaming sand dunes one night.

They charged out onto the rippling white waves like little steam engines, their hot breath trailing behind. They won.

The sun is sinking and we are speeding alongside a dark mountain range. A little wooden house out on a plateau is holding onto the last beam of sunshine as long as it can before the shadows take it. So many lonely places you pass. So many places you meet so briefly, and know you won’t ever return to.

See you on the other side of the desert friend. We will try to drive all night.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/notes-from-the-road-by-brook-power-and-zac-taylor/feed/0I Only Have Eyes for You: The Mesmerizing Double Vision of Alex Garanthttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/i-only-have-eyes-for-you-the-mesmerizing-double-vision-of-alex-garant/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/i-only-have-eyes-for-you-the-mesmerizing-double-vision-of-alex-garant/#respondThu, 15 Feb 2018 08:13:59 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101852Canadian artist and self proclaimed “Queen of Double Eyes,” Alex Garant knows a thing or two about creating art that stokes your curiosity, that pulls you in while simultaneously keeping you at a distance, that leaves you hungry for more. Diving into her dizzying, color-drenched portraits overwhelms your senses with color and movement and optical illusions. They stay seared into your mind long after you look away.

Powerful art occurs when an artist isn’t afraid to flirt with the uncomfortable or run full speed into the wide-open wilderness of the strange. This kind of art is often met with a physical reaction: it makes you squirm, makes you squint, makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand at attention. It makes you feel something like déjà vu, a vision that softly skirts the thin line between dream and reality. You want to look away, but you find yourself unable.

After suffering an unexpected and life altering heart attack in 2012, Garant quit her day job to focus fully on her passion for art. Since then, she has been widely recognized for her mesmerizing and hallucinatory oil paintings of women, which merge traditional portraiture techniques with her signature double exposures, resulting in vivid, realistic portraits that are warped and blurred. Her work draws you in with lush color and hazy soft style, a visual hallucination that you almost don’t want to find your way out of.

To immerse yourself in Garant’s ethereal work is to notice the luminous way she drenches her subjects in light, her otherworldly washes of color, how her women look directly at you with a powerful combination of vulnerability and quiet strength, but it is also to feel trapped inside an optical illusion, fighting the message from your brain that your eyes are playing tricks on you. At their core, Garant’s eerie, enigmatic faces seem to urge the viewer to fight their instincts: to lean into the sensory overload, to not look away, to dive beneath the smooth surface of prettiness into the mystery and strangeness that lurks below.

Drawing on elements of 70’s retro kitsch and Pop Surrealism, Garant’s work is stylistically stunning, both broadly abstract and painstakingly detailed, awash in color and pattern. The women she paints are exaggeratedly beautiful, larger than life, jumping off the canvas with big eyes and flushed cheeks and a lovely and looming sense of sadness. The double eyes, her signature detail, only enhance their beauty, adding both physical and emotional depth, as if you were looking at them through rippling water or a cracked mirror.

The double eyes (double everything, really) are what keeps you actively engaged, searching for clarity amidst confusion, searching for comfort amidst the uncomfortable. Your brain tells you to find some way to make sense of it, and when you can’t, it short circuits for a minute, and that is the trippy power that Garant’s portraits hold. Her double-eyed muses reinvent and reinvigorate the classic portrait, embracing a vibrant sense of movement while paying a subtle homage to the strange. There is so much more here than meets the eye.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/i-only-have-eyes-for-you-the-mesmerizing-double-vision-of-alex-garant/feed/0You Cast a Spell on Me: Getting Acquainted with Samantha Robinsonhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/you-cast-a-spell-on-me-getting-acquainted-with-samantha-robinson/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/you-cast-a-spell-on-me-getting-acquainted-with-samantha-robinson/#respondFri, 17 Nov 2017 20:44:12 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100694Anna Biller’s The Love Witch is the fantastical feminist witchcraft film of your dreams. If it weren’t for the modern day cues freckling throughout — iPhones, BMW’s and DNA tests — you’d be forgiven for thinking her masterpiece was a 60s cult classic. The coalescence of old and new, combined with the melodramatic dialogue, patriarchal-smashing ethos, and decadent, kitsch aesthetic renders the film an absolute must-watch for the modern woman.

At the centre of the film lies Elaine — a young narcissistic witch who has fled to the shores of a quaint Californian town after her lover mysteriously dies — played by the remarkable LA-based actor, Samantha Robinson. Driven by a perverse desire to be loved, Elaine (successfully) deploys magic and her womanly charms to ensnare a string of suitors, to tragic ends.

Elaine is a psychologically complex character. She is murderous and deranged, yet always commands sympathy; she holds archaic views on love, yet speaks to the sexually liberated contemporary woman. Bringing to life such a dichotomous character is no easy feat, but Samantha absolutely blew it out of the park. We chatted to the bright young thang about working with Anna to create the character of Elaine, witches throughout history, and the state of Hollywood today, among other things. Get acquainted below!

Q&A

LF: Through playing Elaine, did you learn anything new about yourself?

SR: Now more than ever, with a movement in Hollywood encouraging woman to voice their experiences with sexual harassment and abuse by men in the industry, it is becoming clear that most women have experienced disturbing experiences with men on some level. Like Elaine, we find ways to deal with those experiences. Sometimes you may even forget as a way to cope. I think many women and men relate to the character of Elaine as they see themselves in her and can even feel empowered by some of her actions. Although the story is ultimately tragic, there is strength in Elaine’s desire to persevere.

LF: Growing up, which on-screen character did you most relate to, and why?

SR: Growing up, I loved the movie ‘My Fair Lady’. I related to Audrey Hepburn’s character, Eliza Doolittle—to her ambition and desire to improve. Despite Higgins’ controlling machinations, Eliza fights to maintain her dignity and identity; she even says she can live without him. Although she ultimately goes back to Higgins, I think Eliza is a modern woman who manages to navigate a sexist society.

LF: What was your initial reaction when you read the script for The Love Witch?

SR: My initial reaction was that it was a fun script with a strong female lead and a unique vision. I wasn’t aware that it was going to be as visually striking as it is or with such a strong feminist message.

LF: How did you prepare for your role as Elaine in The Love Witch? Did you find any similarities between yourself and the character that you could draw on?

SR: I worked with Anna to create the character of Elaine. We decided that Elaine had both borderline and narcissistic personality disorder. I read a lot about these conditions. We also watched classic films with female protagonists who have mental illness. We decided that Elaine had various ‘modes’ that she went into during the film: Stepford wife, manic, bliss, haughty and disassociation. There was a lot that I drew on to create Elaine. I can relate to the feeling of wanting to be loved and needing to create a mask in order to regain some control over the attention you elicit.

LF: I read on Anna’s blog about how collaborative the process was between the two of you, with you helping to sculpt the character of Elaine. What was that experience like, from your perspective?

SR: It was a lot of fun to create such a unique character and to work with a creative powerhouse like Anna Biller. That in itself is a special experience. I thoroughly enjoyed working with a female director.

LF: She also points to the way you “did not think like an actor, but like a director”. Can this be attributed to your diet of classic, noir and contemporary arthouse films growing up? Would you ever consider trying your hand at directing?

SR: That is an interesting comment as I do tend to visualize a piece as a whole. I am trying to think more like an actor though, to focus on being as imaginative as possible and not worry about the complete project. That way I can bring the most creative work possible to the table. I may want to try my hand at directing down the road. Who knows!

LF: I found it quite interesting that, despite being murderous and disturbed, I found myself gunning for/sympathising with Elaine at certain points in the film. Is this true for you? If so, why do you think this is?

SR: Oh, definitively. I always sympathise with Elaine, even when she is being abhorrent, as her terrible actions don’t stem from her being born as a bad seed. She has been through lots of trauma in her life, which has made her the way she is.

LF: Elaine’s character is quite dichotomous, in that she speaks to the sexually liberated woman and pretty perfectly encapsulates society’s fear of female sexuality, yet seems to hold these very antiquated views about men and love. How did you bring these complexities to life?

SR: Yes, that dichotomy is definitely one of the most fascinating things about Elaine. Contradictions are so much fun to play! I explored the different sides of Elaine, her social persona or mask, her true inner desires and self, understanding when delusion and coping mechanisms come into play. I brought these complexities to life the way you would with any other character; realizing that this character is a three-dimensional human with wishes, dreams, trauma and defense mechanisms which help her survive in the world.

LF: The aesthetics of The Love Witch are delightfully extravagant and kitsch. How did such decadent costumes and sets help you to get into character?

SR: It really does make such a difference! Nothing is arbitrary, everything makes sense for the world of the movie. Anna even had a lighter I use in the movie engraved with ‘Elaine’, and although nobody could see it, it added that extra level of specificity and detail Anna is known for.

LF: Did you go deep on the history of witchcraft in preparing for the role? Can you relay some of the coolest witch-related findings from your research?

SR: I read the Witches Bible and other books on witchcraft. I went to rituals and tarot card classes with Anna. We watched movies about witches or characters that might have been witches. I guess the most interesting thing I found out was about Aleister Crowley, Thelema and the counterculture witches’ movement of the 60s.

LF: I recently read a book called Caliban and the Witch, which kind of details women’s role in society throughout history, and the way witch-hunts were used as another means to systematically silence women. I was especially mindful of that during the near-rape scene at the end of the film where an angry mob are shouting “Burn the witch!” How would you describe the correlation between feminism and witchcraft?

SR: Witches have been known to be the original female rebels of patriarchy so it makes sense that they have been persecuted. Witches are strong and independent, and that can be unsettling for men. The idea of the witch was created to keep women under patriarchal rule. There has been a lot of misrepresentation of witches in film and literature. Usually they are the ugly spinsters casting spells on innocent people. Now, however, witches represent female solidarity and empowerment. A strong, independent woman with a mysterious or dangerous side is what I think of when I envision a witch—a part of herself that every woman has.

LF: Outside of The Love Witch, what kinds of roles are you usually drawn to?

SR: I am drawn to characters who find it difficult to survive in this world. I am interested in how they survive, the face they show the world and how it compares to their hidden motivations and deepest desires.

LF: Either through acting, or via another medium, what kind of stories do you hope to tell in the future?

SR: I hope to tell stories of all kinds either on film or stage. Acting is my biggest joy and one of the most meaningful ways to connect to others.

LF: Lastly, what would you like your legacy to be?
SR: I would like to be remembered for my roles in film and on stage — what I hope will become a body of work — and my sense of style. I would also like to be remembered for my commitment to support cancer research.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/you-cast-a-spell-on-me-getting-acquainted-with-samantha-robinson/feed/0For Lovers Only: DJ Amrit’s Latest was Made for Making Outhttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/for-lovers-only-dj-amrits-latest-was-made-for-making-out/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/for-lovers-only-dj-amrits-latest-was-made-for-making-out/#respondWed, 14 Feb 2018 19:30:36 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=102057A little love never hurt anyone and this Valentine’s Day is no exception. Attached or playing the field, it doesn’t matter – turn on this playlist from DJ Amrit whenever you’re trying to turn up the heat. Moody, sexy, heavy. It’s even good for a night in solo.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/for-lovers-only-dj-amrits-latest-was-made-for-making-out/feed/0In Knots: An Erotic Collaboration Between Dennis Stenild and Marika Leïla Roux (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/in-knots-an-erotic-collaboration-between-dennis-stenild-and-marika-leila-roux-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/in-knots-an-erotic-collaboration-between-dennis-stenild-and-marika-leila-roux-nsfw/#respondFri, 08 Dec 2017 18:55:52 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101287A visual story of power and dominance, of lust that leaves a mark, of the art of ropes and the sensual experience they offer. Photographer Dennis Stenild and ropes artist Marika Leïla Roux collaborated to capture Sheri as she is wound up and tangled about only to become unfurled in the next frame. A glorious love note to the push and pull of sex and passion, we find the body of work equal parts erotic and elevated.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/in-knots-an-erotic-collaboration-between-dennis-stenild-and-marika-leila-roux-nsfw/feed/0Travelogue: 48 Hours on Lummi Islandhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/travelogue-48-hours-on-lummi-island/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/travelogue-48-hours-on-lummi-island/#respondWed, 22 Nov 2017 17:51:29 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100891We arrived in the dark; the ferry gliding swiftly through an abyss of black liquid that we could not see, only hear. After hours of driving north from Seattle through Washington State’s green interior, the short trip to the island by boat was like a twilight theme park ride. As we anchored at our accommodation for the weekend with no concept of our surroundings, our minds ran wild with the hazy outline of possibilities that would await us in the light of the morning.

Lummi Island, part of a cluster of tree-laden islets that form an archipelago called the San Juans, lays unassumingly in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and Seattle. Combined with it’s remote location, its small size and lack of permanent population means Lummi remains one of the Pacific Northwest’s best kept secrets, lending itself to the most pure of peace and quiet. Here, blackberries grow wild; twisting their thorny limbs like vines through every fence and hedge. We foraged for rose hips and visited a local farm for freshly picked heirlooms and greens. We hiked to the top of the tallest mountain on the southern end of the island, admiring the endless carpets of fern and jade-toned moss that blanketed every tree. On the beach the waves rolled in, scattering heavy, marble-like pebbles in every hue on the shore in the rhythm of a ticking clock. Tall wheatgrass towered shyly over the horizon from the view by the window at the revived 1920s cottage we called our homestead. Our hosts were world travelers and collectors, their vacation home like a museum for old maritime and household relics.

On our last night, Ari prepared a feast using local ingredients we had found, caught or picked ourselves. Ashleigh expertly wrangled the crab traps and hauled them out from the Pacific, whilst Andy helped guide the tiny fishing boat into shore from the unrelenting swell that crashed up and over the sides. Monica and I wandered along dirt roads in search of vibrant berries and apples we could adorn the table with, creating a miniature still life with every careful arrangement.

Journeying back to Seattle, we found solace in its steaming espresso and happy hour bottles of sparkling rose in Capitol Hill. Nestled by the docks of the city on the water, we checked into the The Ace Hotel and wandered through the Pike Place Market to admire the rows of dramatic bouquets and take in the sweet, warm scent of fresh piroshki.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/travelogue-48-hours-on-lummi-island/feed/0A Guide to Falling in Love with Vienna: A Rendezvous at Hotel am Brillantengrundhttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/a-guide-to-falling-in-love-with-vienna-a-rendezvous-at-hotel-am-brillantengrund/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/a-guide-to-falling-in-love-with-vienna-a-rendezvous-at-hotel-am-brillantengrund/#respondMon, 12 Feb 2018 09:30:05 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100640I wanted something small, something privately owned, something with character that would feel both homey and distinct. I was flying to Vienna to rendezvous with my man who was in the midst of a three month round-the-world working stint. To be honest it was a totally random choice, I found a direct flight for pretty darn cheap and there was a library in the city I’ve had my eye on for years (keep an eye out for the upcoming sequal to this post), so I went. I stumbled across Hotel am Brillantengrund on the gram and fell instantly in love. There was something about this quaint and quirky little spot that spoke to me.

The Space.

Let me tell you quickly that I was delighted moment by moment as I was here. The 34 room boutique hotel is expertly decorated, each room unique and filled with vintage furnishing harkening to the 50’s. It’s eclectically chic, the sort of thing that only works because someone here has insanely good taste. Owner Marvin Mangalino is a delightful human who I owe all my thanks to for my stay and my delicious time in the city. He was always pointing us in the right direction… And I really didn’t need to go far.

The Neighborhood.

Breillantengrund was the ideal hub because it’s located in Vienna’s 7th district a less trafficked more local area, filled with artists, small bars, and amazing food. You can throw a stone and hit a good drink or a thoughtful storefront, someone is making something every where you turn, and its all on point. Simply wander out the front door and pick a direction and you will not be disappointed. It’s sit outside mellow, not touristy busy, and it has the old Europe architecture flair to the streets that make you feel good on the inside. Plus, you’re still walking distance to all the famed spots and museums and attractions.

The Restaurant.

I like to hangout where I stay, and more so I like to stay places where I also like to hang out. And this so much the case at Brillantengrund. I spent an afternoon working in the courtyard, then went upstairs to get dressed, only to spend an evening eating dinner and playing cards in their restaurant. Funny thing is I meant to leave, but the smells coming from the kitchen literally lured me back like the pied piper and I grabbed a table.

Brillantengrund’s restaurant is Vienna’s only Philippine specialty restaurant, and the best part is that it’s Mama Magalino is back there cooking up family secret recipes. It’s no wonder I could get out the door, the food is amaze amaze amazing. Plus, they have vegetarian and vegan options and you must try their noodles. (Picture me below trying to act like I’m not scarfing them down).

And There’s More.

Among the many things that drew me here, the Garage was a shining one. Located at the back end of their courtyard is an open room that they use for a variety of workshops, shows, classes, and gatherings. During our stay, there was a running typography workshop that blew my mind. It creates a very communal vibe of people coming and going for such an array of reasons, a synergistic creative hub for locals and travelers. They also have their own cycling team, because why not, these days you can do just about anything.

We spent our days wandering around and our afternoons in the courtyard, we sometimes ventured for dinner and we sometimes hunkered down and played cribbage all night because I had crazy jet lag. But, no matter what we were doing I felt grounded in a way I normally do not after flying around the world on a whim. Brillantengrund and their incredible staff really took me in, nourished me, and pointed me in all the right directions. To read how I spent my days outside of these walls, stay tuned for part deux.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/a-guide-to-falling-in-love-with-vienna-a-rendezvous-at-hotel-am-brillantengrund/feed/0Where Possible and Impossible Meet: Visual Poetry Offers a Peek into Carly Foulkes’ Worldhttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/where-possible-and-impossible-meet-visual-poetry-offers-a-peek-into-carly-foulkes-world/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/where-possible-and-impossible-meet-visual-poetry-offers-a-peek-into-carly-foulkes-world/#respondThu, 08 Feb 2018 08:57:08 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=102030As a spectator consuming art, I prefer to be whisked away into a fantastical world, one where a spectrum of tones dance in-between various realities. Artists who can create such a world are not easily found.

Ready to take a peek at her work in person? Meet us at the show’s opening reception this Saturday, February 10th between 6pm and 9pm at Los Angeles’ Fold Gallery. See you soon!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/where-possible-and-impossible-meet-visual-poetry-offers-a-peek-into-carly-foulkes-world/feed/0Live FAST Radio: Soft Serve 005 with Rae Wittehttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-005-with-rae-witte/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-005-with-rae-witte/#respondTue, 06 Feb 2018 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101982I put most of this together on an afternoon that was bright and sunny, filling my bedroom with perfect sunlight despite being deceivingly 15 degrees outside. 15 DEGREES. Equal parts soothing and warm (one song is literally called “The Warmth”), Soft Serve’s fifth edition has a few artists even I know virtually nothing about alongside some of the latest releases from legends like Frank Ocean and N.E.R.D.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-005-with-rae-witte/feed/0“I Used to Bite My Lip for You” by Cara Friedmanhttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/i-used-to-bite-my-lip-for-you-by-cara-friedman/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/i-used-to-bite-my-lip-for-you-by-cara-friedman/#respondThu, 01 Feb 2018 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101940Sometimes it happens that the things that romanced us the most can later repel us. An exploration of love remembered and lust lost, “I Used to Bite My Lip for You” is an editorial that functions as an ode to reclaiming a sense of self. Shot by Cara Friedman and featuring Arianne Dominique, the following images explore playful elements of styling and the realization that what once was may never be again.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/i-used-to-bite-my-lip-for-you-by-cara-friedman/feed/0Lingerie Guide: Introducing Kye Intimates, California’s Latest Eco-Conscious Underpinnings Brand (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/lingerie-guide-introducing-kye-intimates-californias-latest-eco-conscious-underpinnings-brand-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/lingerie-guide-introducing-kye-intimates-californias-latest-eco-conscious-underpinnings-brand-nsfw/#respondMon, 05 Feb 2018 15:40:06 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101937Every lingerie drawer deserves a selection of intimates that are artfully designed and consciously made. The necessity for such makes the arrival of Kye Intimates much revered. An emerging underpinnings line created from high quality eco-conscious and deadstock fabrics sourced within 20 miles of the Kye Intimates studio, the easygoing ethos and elevated aesthetic of the Golden Coast is present in every piece from the debut collection.

Clare Gilles is captured by Danny Scott Lane as she slips in and out of Kye’s latest on a winter day doused in soft shadows from a waning California sun.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/lingerie-guide-introducing-kye-intimates-californias-latest-eco-conscious-underpinnings-brand-nsfw/feed/0Graceful, Intense, Extraordinary: Introducing Equinox’s Latest Fitness Addition, The Musehttp://livefastmag.com/2018/01/graceful-intense-extraordinary-introducing-equinoxs-latest-fitness-addition-the-muse/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/01/graceful-intense-extraordinary-introducing-equinoxs-latest-fitness-addition-the-muse/#respondWed, 31 Jan 2018 18:00:22 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101879There is a sort of celebration necessary for a workout class designed to celebrate the divine feminine. The Muse by Equinox (#EQxTheMuse) is a class that does just that. Created by Nicole De Anda, the 30-minute class focuses on dance movement while employing the burn of barre and pilates to keep your heartbeat racing. The result is a class that you will definitelyfeel the next day. Despite the athleticism involved in The Muse, it feels like a celebration of the body. Rather than using problematic fitness jargon that can imply that our bodies need to shed, lose, slenderize, or morph into anything other than what they are, The Muse is an opportunity to open your body, minimize your inhibitions, and flow seamlessly in time with the music.

To celebrate the addition of The Muse class to the Equinox Miracle Mile schedule, we conceptualized a gathering of our own muses. Hosted by sun-kissed fashionista Rocky Barnes, we rallied twenty movers and shakers in the realm of fashion, beauty, and wellness, to try the class, indulge in spa services, and receive a proper amount of pampering.

Stocking each locker with a custom floral arrangement made by Los Angeles-based designer Meredith Ambruso and outfit from Varley, each attendee slipped into comfortable dance gear and prepared for the journey together.

Beginning with the class, taught by Nicole De Anda herself, we stretched and toned, danced and sweated. Holding a pair of 3 pound weights for the majority of the class, I twirled in amazement as I hardly realized 30 minutes passed. In the Equinox Miracle Mile yoga studio, we had merchandised a bevy of beautiful decor. From positive affirmations and wise words from Frida Kahlo to breathtaking visuals supplied by The Arc Shop (a Los Angeles boutique who happens to house creations for a majority of female artisans), the experience was elevated, chic, and comfortable.

Post workout, bites from Tocaya Organica and beverages from Après kept attendees energized and ready for their pampering. While the muses refueled and relaxed, we transformed the studio with multiple spa services.

Adina Diaz of Natural Feeling Spa joined forces with LightStim to provide luxurious mini facial treatments to our attendees. Known for her health-forward spa services that use primarily natural and organic ingredients, she provides facials that genuinely transform your skin from the inside out. LightStim is a form of LED light therapy that boasts numerous benefits – one of the greatest being anti-aging. When combined with one of Adina’s signature facials, the result is a holistic approach to skincare that is non-toxic, relaxing, and effective.

In addition to this red light special, we teamed up with Equinox’s spa team to bring a brow bar and massage chairs, providing just a taste of what the Miracle Mile spa has to offer and keeping babes waiting for their facials occupied.

We had so much fun creating this experience to celebrate this next level class, we just might have to do it again… Stay tuned 🙂

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/01/graceful-intense-extraordinary-introducing-equinoxs-latest-fitness-addition-the-muse/feed/0Pack Your Bags: The FAST Guide to an L.A. Girls’ Self-Care Trip Outside of the Cityhttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/pack-your-bags-the-fast-guide-to-an-l-a-girls-self-care-trip-outside-of-the-city/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/pack-your-bags-the-fast-guide-to-an-l-a-girls-self-care-trip-outside-of-the-city/#respondWed, 07 Feb 2018 14:00:43 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101863As the year enters full swing, I hope you feel empowered and have that “I’m worth it” moment. In preparation for the all that lies ahead in 2018, it would be worthwhile to take a weekend to unwind and take special care of yourself. It’s time to start planning a girl’s trip.

Ojai Valley is about two and half hours north of Los Angeles by car. With a population of under 10,000 people, the tiny city is only 15 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean within the Topa Topa Mountains. Home to primarily artists, musicians, and health enthusiasts, Ojai has a city law prohibiting chains (aside from a few gas stations) to encourage small business growth and development. So there are plenty of galleries and shops to explore.

You should definitely stay at the Ojai Valley Inn. It’s practically like its own village within Ojai with eight restaurants, three pools, a spa and incredible views – convenient and relaxing for your girl’s trip. And since this is for self-care and luxury, you should totally put you and your girls’ into Buick’s new Enclave. I know Buick may not seem like it be your first pick, but the space, dual moonroofs, Apple Carplay, Android Auto (for your green-texting friends), and the necessary wifi are so worth it.

Once you arrive and valet your car, you’ll be driven to your weekend residence in an extended golf cart. Draw yourself a bath and settle in. The bathrooms are amazing. Remember, you’re worth it.

After your fingertips look like prunes and you’ve taken the time to fully moisturize and lay around in your robe, get on your finest wine country looks and head to dinner on the resort at Olivella. Let them recommend the wine for your meal.

It’s so fantastically quiet you’ll get plenty of sleep before heading to an early hike at the Ojai Preserves followed up with a visit to Meditation Mount. Do yourself a favor and disconnect after you snap a few pics of the breathtaking setting. Take advantage of airplane mode.

If it’s warm enough, take some time poolside. If not, on East Ojai Road there’s a couple blocks of really cute vintage and thrifts shops to stop by on your way back to the Inn from Meditation Mountain, but you can still leave time for the outdoor jacuzzi in any weather.

I’d recommend leaving the resort for dinner for one night and heading to Azu, one of the longest standing restaurants in town. They’re dedicated to locally sourcing their ingredients for California-style tapas and in the making of their wines and beers.

Most importantly, leave all Sunday morning and afternoon for the spa. Ojai Valley Inn’s spa is considered a “Freedom Zone,” free from cell phones, pets, smoking and disquieting behavior. With individual services, group offers, and mind and body programming, you should have no problem unwinding before your return drive home to L.A.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/pack-your-bags-the-fast-guide-to-an-l-a-girls-self-care-trip-outside-of-the-city/feed/0A Conversation on Mental Health, Creativity, and Personal Growth with Multifaceted Therapist Minaa Bhttp://livefastmag.com/2018/01/a-conversation-on-mental-health-creativity-and-personal-growth-with-multifaceted-therapist-minaa-b/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/01/a-conversation-on-mental-health-creativity-and-personal-growth-with-multifaceted-therapist-minaa-b/#respondWed, 03 Jan 2018 20:38:12 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101791With the arrival of a new year comes countless declarations around self-care, self-love, and personal growth. From a landslide of memes encouraging folks to drop toxic people from their lives to crowded gyms and articles about how to master Dry January, this month is 31 days of tall promises. Avoiding my inclination to be a Scrooge about the “new year, new me” attitude (shouldn’t we all always be constantly evolving, not just at the turn of each year…?), I reached out to Minaa B. for a chat.

Minaa is a writer, mental health advocate, and psychotherapist. She communicates her thoughts, feelings, and coping mechanisms through creativity – whether that is through her debut book Rivers Are Coming, the writing she shares on her Instagram, or her art. She is honest, transparent, and vulnerable while providing insight on how to reclaim your time from stress, toxic relationships, and your own mind. Get to know her below and keep up with her musings here.

Q&A

LF: Hi Minaa! You blend creativity with mental health advocacy seamlessly – can you tell us a bit about how you became a mental health professional?

MB: What’s crazy is that I never planned on becoming a mental health professional. I studied business in undergrad so that I could work as a fashion merchandiser. However, during those years of my life I battled depression heavily and I was always intrigued by the human mind and psychology. So while in undergrad, I took elective classes that pertained to human development like Psych 101 and sociology. I also educated myself at home by reading articles about mental health. It was after graduating, that I realized I wanted to help people who were going through the same struggles that I had gone through and was still going through like suicide ideation, depression, anxiety. Instead of getting my MBA, which was my plan, I started searching and learning about Social Work and it led me to getting my MSW.

LF: How do negotiate what you share on the internet and what you keep private?

MB: I value transparency, for if it wasn’t for honesty and vulnerability, I wouldn’t be free today, nor would I be on this path to healing. I am a very open person because I am not ashamed of the things that I have gone through and that is the lesson that I try to pass on whenever I am sharing the intimate details of my life. However, I am also mindful that everything doesn’t need to be put out into the atmosphere, and that is what helps me with keeping things private. I always ask myself, “How is this information going to better someone else?” That helps me to navigate if what I am sharing is worthwhile, or if it’s something that I should sit with and work with before I give it to the world.

LF: Describe how you balance your creative side with your identity as a mental health advocate.

MB: I truly believe that my creative side is deeply enmeshed in my work as a mental health advocate and psychotherapist. Even in my sessions with clients, I am utilizing creative arts such as reading, writing and journaling as a form of therapy because it is so cathartic and I always want my clients to have the tools they need to have therapy even in their own homes, not just when they see me. I have never treated the two separately because creativity brings forth healing. When I am outside of the office, I am at home writing, painting, listening to music, taking walks on the beach, sitting with nature – truly connecting with my creative side because that side also enhances my mental wellness and is very much wrapped in my identity as a mental health professional.

LF: What does self-care look like for you?

MB: My number one self-care ritual is this simple reminder, “It’s okay to be human.” I no longer beat myself up for my mess-ups or mistakes. I give myself permission to work on myself without shame or judgment, because after all, we are all human and nobody is perfect. That thought process has helped me to shift and grow tremendously. I am no longer wrapped up in feelings of guilt and shame for being who I am and going through what I go through. I also invest in myself by seeing a therapist, reading good books, going to church, and keeping my mind active with positive thoughts. Writing also plays a huge role in my self-care practices, it’s cathartic and personal and it also plays a part in reminding me that I am human.

LF: How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance? What does that entail?

MB: I recently quit a job that I was working part-time because it was stressing me out immensely. A healthy work-life balance to me means knowing when to say no and when it’s time to let go of something. For me, it was time to let go – especially because I was working three jobs in total. What the heck was I thinking!

Work should never cause you stress or make you feel depressed, in my case, that is what was happening and though it wasn’t the easiest decision, I had to remind myself that I matter and so does my happiness. So when it comes to managing work and life, I’ve taught myself to say no and build boundaries. I have learned that knowing what I don’t want is just as equally important as knowing what I do want. Because I am working from home more now, I set clear timeframes on projects because if I don’t, I can work all the way up until 2 a.m. and then complain that I’m sleepy and groggy the next day. It’s about knowing that my mental health can also be affected by work, and it teaches me to be mindful, and to listen to my body, always.

LF: Who are your top five inspirations?

MB: Tracee Ellis Ross

Tamera Mowry

Yara Shahidi

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Mindy Kaling

LF: What do you envision for yourself, both professionally and personally, in 2018?

MB: Growth will always be apart of my journey. I am always trying to better myself, learn, unlearn, and navigate through life embracing my seasons. Professionally, I am in the middle of writing my second book (which is psychological fiction) and I hope to land an agent who will be willing to pick up my work. It’s very different from my first book Rivers Are Coming, and this transition into fiction is truly exciting. I am also looking forward to gaining new therapy clients now that I have expanded my hours at the private practice that I am working at. Lastly, I want to do more speaking and workshops on self-care and mental health. I love informing and engaging with others and it’s something that I would be super meaningful for me in this upcoming year.

LF: How fast do you live?

MB: Though I am a New Yorker, I live quite slow. Never in a rush. Just enjoying the journey day-by-day.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/01/a-conversation-on-mental-health-creativity-and-personal-growth-with-multifaceted-therapist-minaa-b/feed/0“Go Sees” by Olivier Simillehttp://livefastmag.com/2018/01/go-sees-by-olivier-simille/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/01/go-sees-by-olivier-simille/#respondThu, 04 Jan 2018 20:13:58 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101371Olivier Simille tests and proves true the theory that simplicity is often best in his ongoing portrait series Go Sees. A string of photos taken at his studio in New York and while visiting in Paris pictures his models in a snapshot light. Inspired by Juergen Teller’s book by the same title, we can see the similarities drawn directly from his work in the 90’s.

Go Sees took place when an aspiring model would show up at a photographers studio or a magazine in hopes of being discovered and used in a shoot. The cold call kind of nature in this interaction inspired Juergen Teller to create 400+ images of models looking eager and doe eyed at his front door. The adaptation seen here employs a wider breadth of fashion while still paying homage to the art of the portrait snapshot.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/01/go-sees-by-olivier-simille/feed/0Single or Head Over Heels, Helen’s Wines Has Created the Ultimate Valentine’s Day Experiencehttp://livefastmag.com/2018/02/single-or-head-over-heels-helens-wines-has-created-the-ultimate-valentines-day-experience/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/single-or-head-over-heels-helens-wines-has-created-the-ultimate-valentines-day-experience/#respondFri, 09 Feb 2018 19:09:05 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=102045Ahhh, Valentine’s Day. A holiday that breeds anxiety, both for the attached and the unattached. Do you buy your better half a gift or an experience? If single, do you buy yourself some red roses or some CBD gummies and fancy chocolate? Helen of helen’s wines (the fabulous wine bar located in the back of Los Angeles’ adored Jon & Vinny’s) has curated gift boxes that offer remedies to all of your Valentine’s Day woes and dreams.

The clock’s ticking, so place your order asap. Oh, and so sorry to break the news to our international readers, but these magic-makers are only available in sunny Los Angeles!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/02/single-or-head-over-heels-helens-wines-has-created-the-ultimate-valentines-day-experience/feed/0Laura Austin’s Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/laura-austins-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/laura-austins-best-of-2017/#respondSat, 30 Dec 2017 17:31:47 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101762I love Laura Austin because she reminds me of a modern female Huck Finn, charting out on her own on a daily basis and riding the tide of whatever is around the next corner. It takes a lot of gusto to be the kind of person who camps alone, climbs a mountain, drives across the country. She proves time and time again that the self is the best sort of company and that we are capable of so much if we see the open road ahead of us as exactly that – an open road.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, her work makes me want to get back out there, even when I’ve just gotten back. It gives me this longing feeling for places I’ve never seen and the unsettled settling that only travel can bring you. She bottles it up and gives it back to us and we are ever so grateful that she does. One can only hope the coming year will give us even a fraction of her sweeping views and vistas.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/laura-austins-best-of-2017/feed/0Kate Rentz’s Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/kate-rentzs-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/kate-rentzs-best-of-2017/#respondThu, 28 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101073Kate Rentz has a knack for capturing the sublime. Her landscapes distill the world to a tipping point of beauty and awe, so grandiose it can instill a sense of fear. It seems wild there are so many places and you can only see one at a time. What I love most about her work is how she manages to give her landscapes such a personal air to them, each is a place in which one could do some living as well. She is open and honest in her presence, eager in her travels, and a lovely human. While Rentz makes all the world appear as a painting, we are living vicariously through her Insta and waiting with baited breath to see where she sends off to next.
]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/kate-rentzs-best-of-2017/feed/0Self-Care Products to Soothe Your Soul After 2017’s Tumultuous Eventshttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/self-care-products-to-soothe-your-soul-after-2017s-tumultuous-events/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/self-care-products-to-soothe-your-soul-after-2017s-tumultuous-events/#respondTue, 26 Dec 2017 19:21:25 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101093If there was ever a year where I needed to become acutely aware of a self-care regimen, it was 2017. The year began bleak with the never-ending aftermath of the election haunting us and suddenly, taking extremely good care of myself became much more important. Skincare became a way of life. I decided to make peace with my period. I began in indulging in a certain perfume brand that makes me feel as if I am living out my past life as a French woman who lives entirely off of bread and espresso.

My scale for optimism has been majorly shifted, so rather than proclaim that 2018 will be the year that we all win and have access to basic human rights… I will leave you with a basic survival kit of products to use on the best and worst of days.

Dr. Roebuck’s

Okay, so I wasn’t the only one who got serious about my skincare game this year. I appreciate brands who balance natural health with scientifically proven technique. Furthermore, I began to accept that at the ripe age of 25, I should begin lightly dabbling in anti-aging routines. Okay, honestly, I read this once in a Refinery29 skin care guide and I’m not sure if I truly believe I should even give into this madness about aging anyways, but I digress.

This all being said, I had pretty close to no idea of what I was doing when I began this foray into skincare when you’re too old to rely on your youth but too young to really start sweating it. Thank god for Dr. Roebuck’s, skincare line that makes it as easy as possible, with their do-able price point and an incredible personalization system that creates a custom serum that addresses your particular skincare woes. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that their sunny Australian branding doesn’t hurt when I am trying to convince myself to feel naturally beautiful wearing nothing but serum on my face.

My personal routine? I use their Anti-Aging Facial Moisturizer both morning and night – under makeup and SPF or on top of a serum. The herbal scent paired with the thick consistency that absorbs and leaves your skin with a velvety finish is nothing short of heavenly. In the morning, I use their Boost & Tighten Serum. Every other evening, I use the 2-in-1 Mask + Scrub. My skin tends to produce a tad too much oil yet can suffer from surface dryness – especially in the winter – so exfoliation is a must for me. Every evening, I use the Ultimate Hydrating Serum. My skin has felt brighter and consistently moisturized since beginning using Dr. Roebuck’s. Take a peek at their offerings here!

Le Labo

There is nothing – and I mean absolutely nothing that makes me feel like more of a grown woman than Le Labo products. My affinity for them began with the Discovery Set, which offers sample vials of all of their famous city-based fragrances. I acquainted myself with the brand by pretending I was waking up in a different city every morning. Perhaps I was in my native Los Angeles or maybe I was in NYC. It was a wonderful, delicious ritual that made me fall head over heels for the mysterious and luxurious brand.

Furthermore, it is just important to be mindful of what personal hygiene products you are using. This is absolutely a luxury (Cora’s subscription fees are quite reasonable, so don’t be deterred by monetary restrictions), however using organic cotton means you don’t have to worry about toxic pesticides or bleach being anywhere near your private parts. We have enough things to worry about in 2018 and pesticides in my nether regions isn’t going to be on that list. Get started with your Cora Tampons subscription today!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/self-care-products-to-soothe-your-soul-after-2017s-tumultuous-events/feed/0Lauren Kai’s Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/lauren-kais-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/lauren-kais-best-of-2017/#respondWed, 27 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101074Lauren Kai’s work will grab you, take you out to dinner, and teach you something about yourself. These attitude forward portraits, remarkably well-styled scenes, and bits of odd intrigue make for an elevated level of cool.

Kai’s images satisfy our craving for something to make us tick. If you look closely there is a hidden detail that often makes the moment- the lady bug, the lemon in the hand, the bee near his eye. It just goes to show that attention and precision truly can make a master, and we are silly in love with her particular dose of art.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/lauren-kais-best-of-2017/feed/0A Modern Approach to Menstruation: Getting to Know Cora Tampons Founder Molly Haywardhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/a-modern-approach-to-menstruation-getting-to-know-cora-tampons-founder-molly-hayward/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/a-modern-approach-to-menstruation-getting-to-know-cora-tampons-founder-molly-hayward/#respondThu, 21 Dec 2017 19:20:39 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101577This was the year that I began to research my feminine hygiene products. Admittedly, I am not a woman who enjoys her period. When I am doubled over with cramps, irritable, and exhausted for up to 6 days at a time, I do not feel connected to my womanhood. Honestly, I feel annoyed and am waiting for the time to pass.

As an attempt to bypass these emotions of annoyance and frustration, I opted to use only organic cotton products and try a period product subscription service. Gone are the days of going to Whole Foods in my sweatpants at 9pm on a Wednesday night only to fill my shopping basket with organic cotton pads, tampons, and overpriced chocolate.

Upon discovering Cora, I was immediately intrigued by their model that gives back to women in need. Functioning as a subscription service, Cora gives a supply of pads to a girl in need for every monthly supply purchased. Furthermore, their tampon design is sleek and modern – unlike some organic tampons that can feel overly flowery. Inspired by this company that has created an experience for the modern menstruating woman, I reached out to founder Molly Hayward to chat about feminism, philanthropy, and more!

Q&A

LF: Molly, as the founder of a tampon company, what is the greatest misconception you hear about feminine hygiene products?

MG: The greatest misconception women have is that all tampons are created equal, but the truth is that though they look like cotton, many conventional brands use synthetics like rayon and polyester in their products, as well as conventional cotton produced with pesticides and chemicals that are harmful to both humans and the environment. This was one of the driving forces behind Cora: Create period care products that are both better for women’s bodies, and better for the environment and the people producing them.

The other misconception is that all women have the products they need to manage their periods, but in fact millions of women and girls globally are unable to access and afford the period products they need, and will stay home from work or school during their periods, or use unsanitary materials like newspaper or rags to absorb their flow. That’s why with every Cora product purchased, we provide period care products and reproductive health education to a girl in need in a developing country. By 2018 we will have given over a million pads to girls in India and Kenya.

We also periodically give products domestically to women’s shelters and for disaster relief efforts. We’ve given close to 100,000 products to women in need in the U.S. so far.

LF: Tell us a bit about your journey working for women’s human rights and socio-economic empowerment. How did it begin? What sparked this passion?

MH: My desire to work on behalf of women and girls in need started in college when I had the opportunity to travel and study in Cambodia and Vietnam. Seeing the devastation of extreme poverty, and knowing that women’s education is paramount to poverty alleviation and peace throughout the world, I was inspired to devote my life to supporting businesses, social enterprises, and organizations that work to ensure every girl and woman has the chance to go to school and pursue her dreams.

LF: Who are your top 5 inspirations?
MH: 1. The girls we support in India and Kenya with products and reproductive health education

LF: How have you seen your own perspective on feminism evolve since starting Cora?

MH: In the years since starting Cora, I have begun to understand the depth of the social and cultural illness that allows women – particularly women of color and minority women – to continue to have to fight for their fullest rights and equality. While it can feel painful and overwhelming, it gives even greater purpose to the work I do. I now see it from the perspective of all humanity. The rise of the feminine will heal all people everywhere.

LF: Where do you see yourself in five years?
MH: I see myself continuing to spend the majority of my time advocating for women and raising consciousness of the issues that affect them, and therefore all of society.

LF: How did you choose Cora’s charity partners?

MH: I spent a lot of time before launching Cora researching and meeting potential partner organizations. I chose to work with Aakar Innovations and Zana Africa because of their holistic and comprehensive approach to girls education and reproductive health and their deep connections to the communities in which they work.

LF: What plans does Cora have in the pipeline for 2018?
MH: In 2018 Cora will continue to expand its offerings to women who want to build a more positive relationship with their bodies while helping a girl in need – including innovative new products, content, and collaborations to further our social impact globally.

LF: How fast do you live?
MH: Only as fast as I have to! While Cora as a business runs at warp speed, my favorite pace is one that allows for reflection, visioning, and making the big plans. That’s the place where I connect to the greatest source of insight and inspiration.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/a-modern-approach-to-menstruation-getting-to-know-cora-tampons-founder-molly-hayward/feed/0Get the Sex Education You Probably Missed Out On with Wild Flowerhttp://livefastmag.com/2018/01/get-the-sex-education-you-probably-missed-out-on-with-wild-flower/
http://livefastmag.com/2018/01/get-the-sex-education-you-probably-missed-out-on-with-wild-flower/#respondTue, 02 Jan 2018 21:40:36 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101441We all know life isn’t fair and that a great inequity exists within our system, but that rings truer for some than others. Not everyone is fortunate enough to receive a quality education, let alone receive an education. For those of us who did have the right and privilege to go to school, our educational experiences may have been limited based on budget cuts and systemic biases. Whether it’s abstinence-only education or the ability to test out of the course altogether, our educational system is greatly lacking, and in the age of Trump, having access to an unbiased, comprehensive sexual health and reproductive education is now more crucial than ever before. Lucky for us, there are some who are going out of their way to provide us with the sex education every human being deserves.

Meet Wild Flower, an innovative, sex positive online adult store, not only bringing us the best in personal pleasure items for everybody and every body, but also filling the educational holes and answering the questions we were taught we weren’t allowed to ask. And who better to guide us into the realm of sex and wellness than someone whose previous employment was based entirely around the art of providing pleasure by pushing limits while respecting boundaries? We can all be so grateful that Wild Flower founder and owner Amy Boyajian left the dominatrix world behind to provide us with the non-judgmental sex education we all need, complete with an interactive sex Q&A section and weekly YouTube videos featuring giant paper maché reproductive organs.

LF: For our readers who may not be familiar with the topic, how do you define sex positivity? Why is it important?

AB: I don’t think you can clearly define sex positivity without relating to the current social climate. Sex positivity has been used since the free love movement of the 1960s, was adapted to uplift through the painful times of the 1980s AIDS epidemic, and steered feminism and LGBTQ+ movements through the millennium. Currently we are experiencing an overhaul of the status quo relating to sexual conduct and sexual harassment. I would define sex positive as not only a grasp of your own pleasure but also an agency over your body and consent. I also think to be sex positive, your politics have to be intersectional and inclusive of all races, genders, religions, sexual orientations, and sexual expressions.

AB: Imagine walking into a sex store, planning to buy something as intimate as a sex toy, only to find the section marked for your gender having nothing for your anatomy. This is a reality that trans and non-binary people face every day. Personally, as a cis woman, I loathed that all the products marketed towards me were ultra feminine aka baby pink or ultra realistic. I felt that this told me that my pleasure depended on outdated feminine ideals or ‘male’ anatomy. Looking around the sex store industry I also saw blatant sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, or other discriminatory toys and marketing that is completely unacceptable. This, combined with the lack of safety standards, made it clear to me that it was on the manufacturers and stores to raise the bar within the sex toy industry.

I think it is a company’s social responsibility to ensure they are actively all inclusive and an ally to all minorities and marginalized persons. I felt like the simplest way I could do this would be un-gender the toys, and not carry any toys that were flesh colored or ultra-realistic.

LF: What do you think our current sex education system is lacking? What was sex education like when you were growing up?

AB: Our current systems are lacking so much. Currently only 22 states mandate sex education, of which only 13 legally have to have medically accurate information. The few Americans that do get sexual education are faced with a religiously backed curriculum focused on abstinence and creating fear. Having such poor standards puts young people at risk and develops harmful behavior around sex that carries on into later life. I feel that there needs to be mandatory medically accurate sex education that includes pleasure and consent as well as an intersectional and inclusive approach.

I actually grew up in the UK and sex was never talked about in school or at home. The internet has a lot to do with my sexual education, for better or worse. As a young woman who developed early, I was hypersexualized without understanding how negative that attention can be at such a young age. I felt no agency over my own body and for many years, I felt that I was in a constant battle with my body.

LF: What are the most common misconceptions the public has about sex? What do you wish everyone knew about it?

AB: That there is no normal when it comes to sex. As long as everyone is consenting and there is no physical, mental or emotional harm being done, sex is a free game. Sex in your bedroom may look very different that someone else’s bedroom but it all needs to be respected and included in the ongoing dialogue around sex. Keeping with this theme, what I would want everyone to know is that it is ok to be yourself and you need to give yourself permission to explore your sexuality. Masturbate in a new way! Buy yourself a toy! Discuss your fantasies with your partner! Sex is an ongoing journey that runs parallel with the rest of our lives. Focusing a little effort into your sex life can do wonders for your self-esteem, your health, your social connections, and your overall happiness.

LF: How do you feel the media portrays sex? How is it beneficial and/or damaging?

AB: It really pains me when I see sex described as naughty or dirty, or on the flip side, as completely risk free. I think this feeds into the narrative that sex is devious and bad or unconcerning — both harmful attitudes that stunt many important conversations that need to happen. I also hate the correlation between beauty standards and sex, and the pressure that puts on people. What about bloated sex, period sex, morning sex with bad breath? It skips a large portion of sex, which is intimacy.

Though we are seeing a cultural shift in this, there is still a lot of sex used to sell items that have nothing to do with sexuality. Remember those Carl’s Jr commercials with almost-naked, white women rolling around on cars to sell fast food cheese burgers? Those days need to be over.

LF: Prior to your years as a dominatrix, how did you feel about sexual exploration? How did that job change your perception of sex and pleasure?

AB: Before I started working as a dominatrix, I really didn’t feel connected to my sexuality. I was more confused by it than anything. When you do any kind of sex work, you have to take elements of your own sexuality and heighten or adjust them to profit off of them. By having to self exam and adjust to each situation, it got me closer to who I was and what I wanted. I’m not saying everyone needs or should be a sex worker to gain agency over their sexuality, this is just what happened for me. I think what was more important was the prompt to take my sexuality seriously and see it as a major part of my whole.

Working as a domme also opened my eyes to the many expressions of sexuality. I’m in pretty open-minded and queer friend circles, but being trusted with fantasies that would be so taboo in society really made me appreciate how diverse sexuality is.

LF: What prompted you to leave sex work behind to enter the realm of sex education through an online adult store? Had you always wanted to become a sex educator, or is it something you fell into?

AB: I have a degree in business and marketing and always had dreams of having some business of my own. Being a dominatrix was my first real dose of entrepreneurship and I simply couldn’t go back to working for anyone else. But there came a time where sex work really burnt me out. It’s a lot of emotional labor, physical upkeep, and mental stress with no societal support or resources. It’s easy to get to a point when you feel overwhelmed, completely drained, and simply unable to work. I’m not gonna sugar coat it – it was a tough time. I felt like my career as a dominatrix was a large part of my identity and I found myself unable to fulfill that identity anymore. There was a lot of soul searching, a lot of art was made, and many tears shed but I started to formulate who I wanted to be outside of what I did for money. I wanted to be a healer, an advisor, a helper of sorts. It was around this point that I met my husband and he really supported me in making Wild Flower a reality.

I never planned to be a sexual educator, though I knew my store needed to focus on education to compensate for all of the misinformation out there. I originally thought I would be behind the scenes, expressing opinions and sharing information via articles only. However that’s simply not how everyone learns, including myself. I knew I had to incorporate written material with conversations and visual aids to truly reach everyone.

LF: Since the store’s launch 6 months ago, what has the response been? Any controversy?

AB: Most of the feedback I’ve got has been overwhelmingly positive. The only issues I’ve had were at the very beginning trying to open accounts with various financial institutions. For example, I casually went to my personal bank looking to open a basic business checking account for the store. I wasn’t looking for a loan or anything, I was just looking to open an account to hold the money the business earned. I was declined to open an account because sex toys were in violation of the bank’s ‘moral standards.’ These same standards say nothing about cigarettes, alcohol, or firearms, yet vibrating pieces of silicone seem to be a real threat to them. We had similar problems trying to find an institution to handle the store’s credit card transactions.

The positive feedback and comments we’ve gotten have been so amazing. Many people have trusted me with their stories of shame, rape, harassment, or health issues, and I love that I can create some kind of support for them. I make an effort to talk about all the elements of sexuality, even the painful ones, and I’m grateful that people who have sexually-related pain find our store a safe space. I’m sure there are some people out there who disapprove but a lot of people feel lost, confused, or insecure when it comes to sex and are seeking help. I find that people are grateful for the conversation and eager to participate.

LF: If you had to narrow it down to 3 products that you think EVERYONE needs to try, what are they and why?

AB: I’m a huge advocate for lube in an effort to normalize its use. Having a need to use lubricant doesn’t mean that your body is inferior or you aren’t turned on enough. There are so many elements that can affect natural lubrication or in the case of anal play, the area isn’t a naturally self lubricating part of the body. My favorite lubricant is Uberlube. It’s a silicone based formula which is silky smooth and long lasting. It has no harmful chemicals and naturally dissipates when friction stops. It’s also packed with vitamin E and can be used as a hair smoother!

I also think everyone should enjoy a little butt stuff. We all have a butt and no matter your gender or sexual orientation, you can find pleasure in a little exploration. I would encourage everyone to try a butt plug. It doesn’t have to be large and intimidating. There are thousands of sensitive nerve endings in the anus which can feel amazing when stimulated and if you are born with a penis, you can explore your magic button – the prostate!

And finally, getting really specific, everyone needs to get themselves an Njoy Pure wand or Fun wand. These toys are amazing tools of pleasure no matter what your anatomy is. They are the go-to toys for me when someone is having trouble is G or P spot stimulation or looking to learn how to squirt.

LF: What are your goals for Wild Flower? Where do you see the store going?

AB: I really want to evolve the community element of Wild Flower via workshops and support groups. My vision for Wild Flower was to have our education sections be interactive, incorporating the Sex Q&A section, but I want to grow it much bigger and reach more people. As we relocate to New York within the next few months, I’m looking to work in partnership with other innovative groups and brands to create engaging and necessary workshops where people can come with their questions, try out products, and explore their sexuality in a community setting without shame.

I really want to make Wild Flower the industry standard for how a sex store should act and engage. I think the future is non binary and all inclusive and all sex stores need to be reflective of this social progress. The future of Wild Flower is definitely fluid, yet I know for sure that it’s going to be sexy and everyone is included.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2018/01/get-the-sex-education-you-probably-missed-out-on-with-wild-flower/feed/0Kelle Ramsey’s Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/kelle-ramseys-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/kelle-ramseys-best-of-2017/#respondMon, 25 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101066I hope everywhere you go you see something new, something that startles you and makes you question the way the world is put together. I hope you find places and people that reconfigure your idea of what is beautiful and that you see the kind of landscapes that might forever populate your dreams. I hope this life is made of these sorts of pieces and that you have the sort of the compass that will steer you toward them. I hope that for you.

If Kelle Ramsey’s images could talk they might say something like this. Her landscapes are moody, her palate is feminine, and the voice that laces it all together is weighted and filled with serious strength. I want to climb inside of them and see what colors I might be cast in within her scenes. There is a force of creativity brewing in this work, and I for one am eager to see what the next year brings.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/kelle-ramseys-best-of-2017/feed/0Amanda Bjorn’s Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/amanda-bjorns-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/amanda-bjorns-best-of-2017/#respondTue, 26 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101069I swoon for Amanda Bjorn. It’s wild how the internet can make you feel close to people. I first became a admirer of her music Bjorn and The Sun, a two piece folk duo. And I wrote about them here. Because of this story, she sent me her photography work, a bevy of images that were just as stunning as her voice.

The images she sends me – a series, a story, a campaign – they feel more like an essay. They draw you in at the start and then make you think about what you know, make you turn them over in your mind, and at the end you just want to start from the beginning again. They are arresting in their color, loud in their moment, and meaningful in their messages. She’s got a lot of heart and I don’t think she could keep it from her work even if she tried.

One of my most recent fascinations with this woman is a series of photo trips she has been leading in Cuba, her now second home. Because of the reinstitution of the travel ban, it is one of the only ways for us to visit and explore what is one of the most astounding places I have ever visited. Follow this woman as she continues to make some beautiful moves.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/amanda-bjorns-best-of-2017/feed/0“Crushing Velvet” by Yudi Elahttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/crushing-velvet-by-yudi-ela/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/crushing-velvet-by-yudi-ela/#respondFri, 08 Dec 2017 06:28:05 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100802When we were young there was someone who told us we could be anything we wanted to be, that our art was worth looking at, that sitting alone in a room for hours on end and writing make-believe was a credible way to spend your time. Or that it wasn’t, but we did it anyway.

We dress up and take pictures, we paint, we lie in bed and write poems on napkins, we publish the glittering bits that we make.

This series shot by photographer Yudi Ela feels like we’ve climbed inside of our ideas – when they are fresh and new and still exciting, ready for molding and colored without conscious. The layering of textures, of color palates, of limbs gives us a intricate still life to get lost in. It’s one foot in the door of reality and the rest of the body out in the space where creative magic happens.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/crushing-velvet-by-yudi-ela/feed/0Erin Rose Belair’s Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/erin-rose-belairs-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/erin-rose-belairs-best-of-2017/#respondTue, 19 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101065This Best Of is comprised of my most cherished travel moments of 2017, the pictures that are tethered to my heart throughout out the year. The ones that make me sit back and raise my glass to say, ‘Yes, this year was fucked, but damn it was also beautiful.’

It is wild to think how much can transpire and how far you can go around the globe, circle back and come home. If ever I feel like time is moving too quickly I try to list the last seven things I remember that made me stop and breathe.

Taken in the majestic halls of Casa Lola after an in-room massage and mojitos. Cartagena was a grown-up playground that got me into more trouble than I am worth, but I could die happy knowing that is the most fun I will ever have. If you somehow missed it, I wrote an entire travel guide about how to drink, dance, and eat your way through that fabulous city.

Every time I look at this picture I get sensory memories of how it feels when he kisses me like that. And I say like that, because even someone I kiss all of the time, can turn to me out of nowhere and surprise me. This picture was taken on the tail end of a weekend in Joshua Tree, that happened on the tail end of the Cartagena trip. So I am in this picture beyond exhausted and completely blissed out. I wrote an essay all about it.

My favorite spot in Ojai. This was just on any regular day in the spring and it makes it all the more special to me because of that. This the spot he took me to on our first date, back when I lived in Idaho and didn’t know I where I would go next, before I really knew him and before the next phase of my life started. The place where I vowed I wouldn’t stop traveling for a year (and now it’s been almost two.) It’s one of my Important Places.

I am naked on a balcony in Paris, drinking a negroni. I feel as if this needs no further explanation as to why it stands as one of the shimmering moments of this year.

One of the few pictures not of myself but taken by myself. This is one of my favorite humans in the world. She was living in Austin at the time and I spent a week there in the swelter of June and I just fell head over heels for Texas. This particular afternoon we drove out to Greune to the oldest dance hall in Texas. We just happened to show up on the original mayor of Greune’s birthday which the town aptly celebrates with nickel beers all day. This is a testament to the idea, you just don’t know until you get there.

I’ve never felt wind like I did in Alabama Hills. It roared and whipped and we sat hunkered in our van for a whole afternoon while it rocked us like we were out to sea. We were on a road trip with Richer Poorer, up the Eastern side of the Sierras and then back down through the super bloom and eventually into the desert. It was a rambling no-plan-plan kind of trip, and god damn the views were good.

Somewhere in Austria this fall. We stayed in a castle in a small town, one we drove across the country to find on the whim of a recommendation from someone in Vienna. There is so much out there if you just go looking for it. This was a not-so-hot hot spring we found.

Nearing the end of our Eastern Sierras road trip, we slept in the desert for a few nights. This was right at sunset at the edge of the J Tree Park where we camp. I remember thinking, or realizing, on this trip how madly in love I could be with the desert. Before this it was all mountains and woods for me, and now I can’t get enough of the stretch.

Before Cartagena, there was a brief stay in Tayrona National Park. If there is an art to relaxing, I am pretty sure I have mastered it.

Just a few weeks ago, the boys did the Barstow to Vegas race on their motorcycles and I drove out with my sister to pick them up. What was supposed to be a fetching errand turned into this mystical two days some of the most incredible photographs I have ever seen Jenavieve take. When we were kids we would dress up and take pictures of each other. Nothing has changed all these years later. The outfit I am wearing we picked up at Savers in Vegas for a few dollars.

Lakeside at the mystery castle somewhere in eastern Austria.

Our stay in Paris was brief. The only place I really wanted to see other than the inside of dingy Parisian bars, was the Shakespeare and Co. bookstore on the left bank. Upstairs, I was reading through a book when the house cat came and slept on my lap. It felt like some kind of wonderful omen.

Slovenia, how I loved you. I could have made this entire best of with images from our time in Slovenia. It feels made up out of fairy tale book. This is me gazing off into the mountains in a wood burning hot tub at a cabin near Lake Bled.

And it’s this exact posture and stillness I feel when I look back on the last 12 months. I hope I always feel like this at the end of a trying and troubled year, that there is goodness and so many beautiful moments also filling it to the edges. And I hope I always have enough gumption to look at the year ahead of me and think, ok bring it on some more. Let’s do it again.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/erin-rose-belairs-best-of-2017/feed/0Live FAST Radio: Soft Serve 004 with Rae Wittehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-004-with-rae-witte/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-004-with-rae-witte/#respondFri, 15 Dec 2017 17:55:54 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101532Nothing like coming back from the holidays in the throws of cuffing season and have Mercury go into retrograde. L.A. is on fire. New York was gray for days on end, and it snowed essentially everywhere else in the country.

For you, I tried to keep some continuity for this playlist, so it’ll only really tug at your heart in a few spots. The music comes from artists I found while traveling, that I got to see live in the last month, Shazaming in an East Village wine bar, or digging through submissions and suggested playlists with a select few of my favorites from the last year. Enjoy!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-004-with-rae-witte/feed/0An Instagrammable Immersive Experience: Thoughts on Refinery29’s “29Rooms”http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/an-instagrammable-immersive-experience-thoughts-on-refinery29s-29rooms/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/an-instagrammable-immersive-experience-thoughts-on-refinery29s-29rooms/#respondFri, 15 Dec 2017 17:41:19 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101510By now, I am sure you’ve experienced a taste of Refinery29’s 29Rooms via someone’s Instagram. An immersive experience that evokes the aesthetic of the editorial platform, 29Rooms features 29 different experiences curated by a multitude of artists and brands. This sort of experiential art show is becoming more and more common – a fact I’m also sure you’re aware of, thanks to the Museum of Ice Cream, Happy Place, the 14th Factory, and even downtown Los Angeles’ The Broad (sorry guys, but you do realize that the most common selfies are taken there, right?)

29Rooms was equal parts incredible and eerily reminiscent of an episode of Black Mirror. This dichotomy is experiential marketing, though. When done authentically, it is an incredible experience that allows spectators to feel connected to brands due to their support of burgeoning art and elevated ideas. When done inauthentically, it feels a bit like you’ve been duped when you’re expected to take a photo to share to your social media that is essentially just an advertisement for Toyota (no, but seriously, a Toyota Camry was a photo opt at 29Rooms).

This all being said, I will focus on the fantastic. I cannot stop thinking of the Dreamers Den. A room created in collaboration with Juno Calypso and Darby Walker, it was a small room that felt like a speakeasy set in outer space. Darby Walker, a rising star with a honey-spun silk voice, asked spectators if they had a dream. Upon hearing the dream, she would then go into an improvisational song. I struggle to find words to describe the immense beauty and emotion that washed over me when hearing Walker’s voice somehow describe exactly how I felt in this dream I had when I was fourteen years old.

Hyphen-Labs created what was easily my favorite activation. A virtual reality experience called NeuroSpeculative AfroFeminism took individuals on a journey where time and space were limitless, where empowerment was expansive due to a lack of constraints and limitations that are typically placed in current reality. It was beautiful. I don’t even want to go too far into it, so as to not spoil it for readers who plan on attending 29Rooms this weekend. For those who are not in LA and are unable to attend, check out the Hyphen-Labs site to get a sneak peek.

Per usual, Planned Parenthood created an installation equal parts radical and intriguing, a large light installation in the center of the room depicting the female reproductive system and their pro-choice slogans. Marc Jacobs mastered the art of branded creative expression, creating a Daisy by Marc Jacobs inspired garden that offered a multitude of selfie options that I couldn’t help but give in to. Cleo Wade created a guided meditation that was designed to be listened to in a cushy tent that resembled a womb.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/an-instagrammable-immersive-experience-thoughts-on-refinery29s-29rooms/feed/0Ethan Gulley’s Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/ethan-gulleys-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/ethan-gulleys-best-of-2017/#respondMon, 18 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101068I’ve spent most of this year gushing over Ethan Gulley and his consistently swoon worthy body of work. I love how he keeps on surprising me, and I swear it no one shoots an empty parking lot of an old store quite like he does. His images remind me of short stories I haven’t written yet, there is a whole life being lived in each one.

He relocated from Alabama and brought with him a whole heap of style that oozes a nostalgia for the current moment. He manages to be both romantic and inventive, travel lusty and editorial at the same time. You can get a healthy delivery of his work by ordering his newest issues of Sonder, his quarterly magazine. If we’re lucky next year will bring us a whole lot more look at from him, sunny days, fireside, treks, shenanigans and all. Keep up with him on social media here.

It is a treat to ride shotgun on their adventures and become privy to their private travel life. They deliver their wandering back to us with grace and grandeur making every corner of this globe feel massive. Their stories are told through Tegan’s magnetic voice and accurate attention to detail, and filled with images that will induce wanderlust in even the most seasoned of travelers. This creative pair never misses a beat.

I suggest we all take a note from their book as we cruise into 2018, and go looking for our next big somewhere.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/tegan-butler-andy-noels-best-of-2017/feed/0Benjamin Askinas’ Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/benjamin-askinas-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/benjamin-askinas-best-of-2017/#respondWed, 06 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101067Benjamin Askinas’ work is bright eyed and filled with gumption. His scenes are inventive, equally alive in and out of the studio. We find ourselves captured not just by the composition but also the focus with his subject. A key thread through his imagery is in the eyes, always these eyes, whether they meet the camera or are cast off elsewhere, there is a magnetism he captures there. Among the other things we love about his work are the color palette he picks and those dreamy vistas that somehow make perfect sense here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/benjamin-askinas-best-of-2017/feed/0Grit Girl Hike: A Guide to Giving Back in Your Communityhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/grit-girl-hike-a-guide-to-giving-back-in-your-community/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/grit-girl-hike-a-guide-to-giving-back-in-your-community/#respondTue, 12 Dec 2017 14:40:14 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101285It feels like the need to give back is even more expansive this year. Perhaps it has to do with the president, maybe it was the myriad of natural disasters – in either the case, this year was wild and the need to get outside of myself and give back to others didn’t end with just moi. Nearly all of our friends, collaborators, and allies felt the same. When it came time to conceptualize this Grit Girl Hike, an outdoor adventure meet-up created in collaboration with Richer Poorer, we wanted to create an experience that left our attendees inspired and ready to commit to their own activism deeper. Hosted by Los Angeles-based creative Becky Bunz, this fifth and final hike focused on paying it forward.

We were blessed with the producer, director, and photographer Becky Bunz as our host.

Juniper Ridge, Rudy’s Barbershop, Brixton, Cora Tampons, Pointe Studio and Richer Poorer banded together to assist us in providing luxurious yet useful necessities like body wash, shower bombs, cozy socks and the softest cotton t-shirts known to human kind. We gathered a myriad of personal hygiene supplies from the dollar store, filling wicker baskets with toothbrushes, toothpaste, pads – all the little details that a woman needs to get through the day. Creating a makeshift assembly line atop a rustic picnic table in the back patio of our event space, we educated our attendees about homelessness in Los Angeles and then invited them to create a care package.

Currently, there are about 58,000 homeless people living in Los Angeles. The Downtown Women’s Center – which is a permanent supportive housing center that also has a day center open to the public – does incredible work to combat Los Angeles’ massive homeless issue. 95% of the women they serve remain permanently housed.

When creating this event, I realized how simple it is to give back in your own community. In fact, when creating a care package workshop like this, I was inspired to share with others how one can make an activation like this come to life.

The first step is to identify an organization that you love with a mission that you stand behind. Make sure to contact them beforehand to ensure there is no red tape around what sorts of products you can donate. Chat about when is an ideal time for you to drop off the care packages and what their drop-off procedure looks like. For example, are you planning to neatly wrap every package but will the organization actually need to go through the contents of each donation package? Does the organization find that their residents actually need pads far more than they need tampons? These were the kind of things I learned while putting together this charity drive and I’d be shocked if you didn’t discover surprising facts along the way on your own journey!

Now onto getting the goods to gift. The key is to reach out to allies in your circle that may be interested in donating product. If you don’t know any self-care oriented companies personally, head on over to their websites and hit that contact page. You’d be surprised at how many companies are keen to donate product. When it comes to those items you can’t get donated, you can either request that each attendee bring multiple units of the product (for example, we asked our attendees to bring canvas tote bags and pads). Also, another major key is to feed your guests. Splurge on some salads from Sweetgreen or cop a few pizzas from a local eatery like Pizzanista. If you want to keep the costs low, opt for a potluck – it could even be as simple as drinks and appetizers.

Be prepared to educate your attendees about IRL volunteer initiatives, too! They will want to know how they can further their service and it is always good to have a quick link for them to hit when they inquire. Speaking of – those of you who are based in Los Angeles, be sure to take a peek at the Downtown Women’s Center volunteer opportunities here! If you are unable to commit to volunteering but still would like to support the organization, check out other opportunities here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/grit-girl-hike-a-guide-to-giving-back-in-your-community/feed/0A Cause We Can Get Behind: Aldo’s Collaboration with Global Citizen is the Perfect Way to Give Backhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/a-cause-we-can-get-behind-aldos-collaboration-with-global-citizen-is-the-perfect-way-to-give-back/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/a-cause-we-can-get-behind-aldos-collaboration-with-global-citizen-is-the-perfect-way-to-give-back/#respondMon, 11 Dec 2017 20:35:08 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101433This year felt like the year of the activist. I mean that in the most positive way possible – it has been beautiful watching individuals from all walks of life stand up for what they believe in whatever capacity they see fit. Perhaps this was marching, maybe it was speaking the truth, or it may just be the simple route of being conscious when it comes to one’s consumption.

Enter Aldo’s collaboration with Global Citizen. Producing an exclusive colorway of their new AldoMx sneaker that directly benefits Global Citizen, we find that this is an amazing way to give back while knocking down your holiday to-dos. Honoring Global Citizen’s “Education for All” campaign in particular, we excited to know that this limited edition colorway is working towards giving 264 million children access to education. Read a bit more about this special collaboration here and cop your favorite colorway here!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/a-cause-we-can-get-behind-aldos-collaboration-with-global-citizen-is-the-perfect-way-to-give-back/feed/0Dreaming with the Enlightened: A Conversation with Hiba Schahbaz (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/dreaming-with-the-englightened-a-conversation-with-hiba-schahbaz-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/dreaming-with-the-englightened-a-conversation-with-hiba-schahbaz-nsfw/#respondWed, 06 Dec 2017 22:38:52 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101305While many celebrated writers speak of the danger of meeting one’s idols, heroes or girl crushes IRL and cite the disappointment that often follows, the experience of meeting Brooklyn-based artist Hiba Schahbaz couldn’t have been more contradictory of that warning. One cannot help but feel mesmerized by her paintings and wonder about the artistic mind that is responsible for images that provoke feelings of suffering, self love and profound beauty all at once. I had the pleasure of visiting Hiba in her natural habitat. We spent a few lazy Sunday mornings together in her lofty Bushwick studio where our conversation shifted from discussing the latest teas she’s imported from Karachi to paint with, to where to find garters with decent hold, to how to survive a keto diet, to the struggles of finding our voices between a South Asian upbringing which promotes censorship and the New York culture which encourages over sharing and self revealing.

Our first meeting was on a dry Spring morning. Time seemed to stop altogether in her studio. Noon sunlight stretched over the larger than life musings of female bodies painted in hues of yellow, golds, and pinks. I remarked on the immediate sense of comfort and security in the space. “Well, that’s because there are so many women in this room” she replied casually. This is the splendor of meeting Hiba in the flesh. It becomes immediately obvious that her visions, her studio, the very aura of the women perched all around us with their watchful glances, are all but a glimpse of the colorful and rich world within the artist herself. Her gaze reveals a sense of stillness, her eyelashes float out delicately and she speaks softly, with a measured and purposeful pace. Unlike nearly everyone I know in this city, there is no sense of rushing or urgency with Hiba. She creates space around her and moves through the world with a grace and caliber of inner strength that I’ve only seen in individuals who have found some nature of enlightenment. Hiba moved here from her native Pakistan in 2010 and never looked back. She studied at Pratt Institute and her work has been featured in exhibitions in New York and internationally.

What follows is an enriching conversation with Hiba about art, beauty, self acceptance and empowerment.

Q&A

LF: Your paintings are so profound in the different moods and worlds that they depict. Where do your visions come from?

HS: They definitely come from an inner space. My work is very intuitive and emotionally driven, the canvas is like a mirror for my feelings and painting is the only language I can express them in. I don’t know how to convey these thoughts in any other way. In high school I would keep a dream sketchbook by my bedside (the same way that people keep dream journals) and sometimes my work would be influenced by my dreams but these days I would say that the source is generally my streams of consciousness. I also believe in the collective subconscious and the idea that we’re all connected such that our energies and ideas influence each other in ways we’re not always aware of. For example, during one of my open studio events, an indigenous American artist excitedly told me that one of my paintings precisely told a particular story from indigenous history. We had never met before and I had no awareness of the historical scene she described to me. There’s so much noise about plagiarism in the art world these days. The truth is that artists are always “stealing” from Art History. Every idea, painting and notion has been borrowed or done before in some form or is contextualised from some part of Art History.

LF: Your technique has radically progressed from faceless miniature paintings to these larger than life canvases. You use tea and inanimate objects like a Swiffer brush to achieve the textures and strokes. Can you tell me more about how you found your unique style?

HS: I only began to paint faces on my work a few years ago. I was trained in miniature painting where you’re not supposed to paint realistically for religious reasons. This includes stylizing bodies and faces, distorting perspective and imaginary landscapes. When I look back, I can see the transformation of my work over time as I gradually moved away from this tradition. My early paintings started with my subjects having their backs turned to the viewer, to painting faces in profile to the front facing paintings you see today.

LF: We live in a digital world where the “selfie” has become associated with sentiments of vanity and self-absorption, however self portraiture has a very long and elaborate history in art. What does the self portrait mean to you and why do you go back to this form over and over?

HS: My portraits have been documenting an inward journey. I think painting has been a way for me to connect with and accept my physical self. I’ve been accused of narcissism in my work but the reality is that I grew up in a culture where women don’t have a voice and self expression is strongly discouraged. These portraits give me permission to express myself. Sometimes, self portraiture is synonymous with suffering. The very first self portrait I painted after moving to New York was my face in profile and my mouth tied shut by a red scarf.

LF:We live in a heavily political climate – some might say that as women of color, we are always negotiating a strongly politicized world. How does politics, especially in the Trump era, enter your art?

HS: I don’t really paint with a political objective and I don’t consider myself a political artist or activist. I paint the female body in a very open way and this way of painting is more an expression of my stylistic vision that has developed organically over time rather than in response to any one political event. I find that many women connect to my work and are appreciative of its representation, especially brown women who feel their bodies are under-represented in Art History. Even today, in so many museums it’s the same masterpiece of white Eurocentric female beauty that you see over and over again.

LF:I’m always intrigued to learn about rituals or forms of relaxation that inspiring artists like yourself have to keep you grounded or replenished. Can you share any particular acts of self-care that you practice?

HS: I used to be much better with self-care. At the moment I try to do simple things like drinking hot water with lemon each morning and treating myself to a monthly facial. I’m a classic workaholic and I get so immersed in painting that often I won’t realize I’m overworked until I get to a stage where I physically have to stop and get out of the city. On these occasions I spontaneously end up at a beach somewhere. Once, I went to Mexico so wound up, that I got my diving certification in four days and went deep sea diving. Sometimes when you’re very personally connected to your work, it’s hard to distance yourself, so you just have to break away and throw yourself into something completely different to unwind.

LF: Tell me more about the day to day working life as an artist and the community you find yourself surrounded by.

HS: As I spend pretty much all day in my studio, I naturally only ever connect with other artists, curators, writers and collectors. My closest friends here are artists, some of whom I studied with many years ago at Pratt. I rarely have the opportunity to meet people from other professional backgrounds. While the New York art community is a very active and exciting one, being a full time artist can be an isolating experience as you spend most of your time in the studio. I guess all artists work differently… I have some artist friends who are at the studio for a couple of hours a day, then they need to shift and do something more structured or intellectual to maintain their sanity. Personally, I’m very much a studio artist and lose myself in the world I am creating.

LF: What advice would you give your younger self?

HS: Believe in yourself. You are limitless. Love yourself as much as you love others and don’t build walls. Learn a few languages.

LF: In crossing all of these physical and artistic borders, what/where/who is home for you?

HS: Home is wherever I feel peaceful and loved and I can make art.

LF: Which other artists are you influenced by today?

HS: I am influenced by so many artists, it’s hard to name them all. I love the beautiful works of Frida Kahlo. I also love the beautiful paintings of Chris Ofili, Francesco Clemente, Cecily Brown, Kara Walker, and the sculptures of my very skilled friend Carl D’alvia I mostly read museum catalogues, art books and artist interviews in an effort to educate myself about Western art. An art writer whose work I love to read is Jerry Saltz – I love the simplicity and honesty in his writing. He has taught me a lot. I also love watching documentaries about artists. I wish I was reading more fiction because it’s a great way to excite the imagination but I’m mostly too involved with painting to do much else.

LF: Your studio radiates warmth and is somewhat of a sanctuary to not only you, but to other femmes. Can you tell me about what this space means to you beyond your painting? How about the physical space you have created in your home?

HS: My studio is definitely my sanctuary, my place of creation and expression. A safe space for me to express myself. I’d like to think it’s a safe place for women to express and discover themselves. I’m very moved by women who reach out for studio visits, they are not always art people but want to experience my paintings first hand. I used to be a very private person and guard my space (and time) so that very few people could enter it. In a way, making these paintings has changed me. Being open to the world outside of myself has opened up my work. All the emotions and letters I receive from women sharing their lives with me has been a gift and I feel their feelings have been seeping into my work. In a way, I don’t feel like I am alone painting myself in a room anymore, I feel like I am painting all of us and for all us. Having the emotional support of women is a very powerful thing.

LF:What’s next for Hiba Schahbaz?

HS: The process of painting large is still very new to me and I’m very excited about developing it further. I’m interested in creating a space through larger than life paintings, and cut-outs, maybe exploring installation. I don’t have a definitive plan, I’m follow the paintings.

My paintings will be on view in Miami this December with PULSE Art Fair as part of their Pulse Projects through which they highlight artists. I’m also exhibiting at the same fair with Project for Empty Space.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/dreaming-with-the-englightened-a-conversation-with-hiba-schahbaz-nsfw/feed/0Dylan Gordon’s Best of 2017 (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/dylan-gordons-best-of-2017-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/dylan-gordons-best-of-2017-nsfw/#respondFri, 01 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101070When I first metDylan Gordon, I used my work here as a guise to get him to take me on one of his wild adventures. He put me on the back of his motorcycle and took me to a watering hole in Ojai where we went skinny dipping and rock jumping and generally waited for the world to stop waiting for us. And we’ve been doing it ever since. I write this in the middle of a road trip from a motel in Australia, where the wifi barely comes through and we’ve spent the last few days swimming at empty white beaches. He’s the first in this year’s Live FAST Best Of series.

Part Indiana Jones, part Steve McQueen, this photographer has spent his years carving a niche in a world where there are few niches left to carve. While social media might highlight reel some of his best shots, they are not staged and for the most part not planned. He travels the world living out the adventures he seeks to capture – horseback in Argentina, sea bound in Russia, hanging off the side of a motorcycle in the Himalayas. He reaches to the far edges of the earth, circling it time and time again every year.

By nestling himself into the group he travels with, he manages to capture his happenings in the most intimate way. We are not looking through the camera, rather just sitting back to listen to all the good stories he has to tell. His images are high octane dreamy, bathed in golden light, and always on the move. They will make you want to quit your job, sell your car, and pick a new spot on the globe. Because if he isn’t spending (and capturing) his life going fast, jumping off something, climbing up it, or charting new territories, well then he isn’t living his life at all. I’m just always trying to keep up.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/dylan-gordons-best-of-2017-nsfw/feed/0Artist Adrian Landon Brooks Wants You to Stop and Listen to the Rainbowshttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/artist-adrian-landon-brooks-wants-you-to-stop-and-listen-to-the-rainbows/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/artist-adrian-landon-brooks-wants-you-to-stop-and-listen-to-the-rainbows/#respondThu, 14 Dec 2017 19:31:21 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101242Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you stumble across an artist who has the power to lift you out of the grind of everyday life, transporting you somewhere else entirely using only the alchemy of colors and shapes. Maybe they take you somewhere familiar, like something out of a dream, like a feeling in your bones that you don’t yet have the words for. Or maybe they take you somewhere unexpected, somewhere surreal and far away from everything you know, immersing you in an otherworldly landscape that drenches even the most mundane activities with a quiet feeling of the mystical.

On rare occasions, you find an artist who can do both, such as Austin-based artist Adrian Landon Brooks, whose paintings and drawings act as a vivid visual narrative illustrating the human form and rituals, set against an otherworldly, color-coated backdrop. Inspired by the simplicity and iconography of Neo-Folk art, his work is pared down yet detailed, ripe with emotion and an unspecified spirituality. Brooks often incorporates found items into his pieces, such as the blocks of pecan wood that act as canvases for his latest collection, infusing his art with a sense of history and binding it organically to the natural world.

His stunning and simple black and white ink drawings pay homage to the strength of female energy and the beauty of the female form, while exploring the interconnected relationship between femininity and nature, (particularly the moon) with a dreamy reverence and a keen eye for detail. His drawings are powerfully fragmented moments, spliced from a daydream or a nightmare, juxtaposing surreal imagery with all too real emotions, such as love, loss, and yearning.

In both his drawings and his pastel-soaked paintings, Brooks doesn’t shy away from the strange, and beneath his brush typical scenes turn slightly off kilter, part human and part holy. His work is blissfully free of inhibitions and refreshingly void of male figures, resulting in a candy-colored landscape that reverberates with mystery and is populated by half naked goddesses (sign us up). His art is illuminated with a sense of a higher power, and although it is uncertain whether that power is nature, the divine feminine, or spirituality, you can feel it nonetheless, lingering lovingly at the intersection of the familiar and the strange. We chatted with Brooks about his creative process, what spirituality means to him, and how his art changed after his daughter was born. Catch his latest collection of work, Oh Me, Oh My, at Stephanie Chefas Projects in Portland until December 23rd.

Q&A

Live FAST: Hello! Tell us a little bit about your background. How did you get started as an artist?

Adrian Landon Brooks: I grew up in Houston, Texas with my mother, who is a very creative person. I knew that I wanted to be an artist when I was about 12 years old and she was fully supportive of my vision. Like most people, my teenage years weren’t that great, so drawing was a good outlet for me. When a gallery in Houston hired me as an art handler, that experience showed me that my dream was attainable. The gallery owner was very supportive and encouraged me to go to school. I moved to San Francisco to attend San Francisco Art Institute and I was deeply influenced by The Mission School art movement at that time. My first show was at an artist run warehouse in downtown Houston where I displayed 40 ink drawings and covered my first huge white wall. Seeing the public interact with my artwork provoked a feeling I had never experienced before.

LF: Do you find there are common themes throughout your work?

ALB: The common themes in my paintings have to do with repeated imagery, mystical narratives, materials, and the colors that I choose. I usually have a general idea or composition in mind when I am working on a series so I might explore certain objects or images throughout that series and see how fast I get bored with it. The most obvious example would be the golden moons and halos that always seem relevant to me in my paintings. Some parts of the paintings will carry on throughout the years and other parts will be retired after they start feeling stale.

LF: Who or what inspires you?

ALB: My wife really changed the course of my art career tremendously, and my life in general. Before we met I was pretty distracted with partying and other nonsense. She gave me the focus and stability I think I was craving for a long time. I don’t regret the things that got me to this place, but my time was much more productive once she was in my life. She gave me someone else to do good for besides myself. This happened again when my daughter Willow was born. I was honestly pretty scared that once the family life started rolling I would somehow lose my creative life. I am happy to say that the opposite is true. I am surrounded by family and friends that want nothing more than for me to be happy and succeed. For that I am forever grateful.

LF: What is your creative process?

ALB: I am always working towards the bigger picture or thinking about a body of work as opposed to thinking solely about the painting in front of me. I have general themes that carry over into most of my paintings but I try to leave room for some discovery through trial and error. My time in the studio is very regimented, like normal work hours. It helps me to stay productive when I stick to a schedule and get to work even if I’m not feeling that creative at the moment. It’s extremely gratifying to work through the lull and come out of the day with something accomplished.

LF: Much of your work, especially your drawings, exclusively features women. Tell us a little bit about what inspires that.

ALB: I have always had strong female role models in my life and was raised primarily by women. I think that appreciation carried over in to my work from the very start and I have paid homage to the female form ever since. I view the female figures in my work as goddesses and symbols of just as much strength as beauty. I am also your typical heterosexual man, so the female form is inspiring on its own, without any other deeper meaning.

LF:Your painting work often incorporates found pieces of wood. What do you think they add to the work?

ALB: My family and I relocated to the hill country outside of Austin, Texas to build a little dwelling on some wooded land. I think the building process and my new surroundings really inspired my studio work over time. It wasn’t long until I started scavenging wood and debris from long hikes in the hills. All of the wood I use is locally sourced and either from my property or nearby mills. I think the aesthetic of the wood is an incredibly important part of the artwork and serves as a perfect background to my paintings. I would be hard pressed to recreate any of the natural grain and patina in the wood pieces that I choose.

LF: Your work seems steeped in the spiritual and contains references to mythology. Do you consider yourself a spiritual person?

ALB: I do consider myself spiritual in a very broad sense. I don’t spend too much time worrying about the specifics nor do I have any involvement with a religious group. Overall, I think it’s healthy not to be egocentric; instead I stay open minded about what could be happening in the universe around me. I have never had much of need to define what spirituality means to me beyond that.

LF: What advice would you give to your younger self?

ALB: Spend less time at parties and more time in the studio!

LF: What’s next for you? What are you excited about?

ALB: My show at Stephanie Chefas Projects in Portland, which opened on December 1st and is on view until December 23rd. Oh Me, Oh My is a collection of narrative paintings on reclaimed pecan wood exploring themes of humor, nudity and quiet reflection. The subjects are celebrations of the human form set in an otherworldly reality. These are the moments in time when you turn off your phone and stop to listen to the rainbows.

LF: How fast do you live?

ALB: Even deep in the woods, my life rarely seems slow or boring.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/artist-adrian-landon-brooks-wants-you-to-stop-and-listen-to-the-rainbows/feed/0Santana Bellas’ Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/santana-bellas-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/santana-bellas-best-of-2017/#respondMon, 04 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101061Santana Bellas is a Bay Area artist whose work has brought a feverish kind of life to our site. Our creative senses are lit on fire when an editorial comes in, a project we devour and then try to find the words for. And words are not always easy for work that already speaks so clearly for itself. One of this year’s favorites, Savina In The City, captures the temperature I speak of.

With a thoughtful and comprehensive body of work, his images and projects are neither canned nor expected. His subjects and landscapes are as true as they are stunning, with an appreciation for the way we really are and who we really are. We’re obsessed with the sharp colors left out to sun bleach, the quick glimpse of taillights, the men and women who saunter into his frame. It’s work like this that makes us excited to come back and do it all over again next year.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/santana-bellas-best-of-2017/feed/0Lingerie Guide: Figs Underwear is a Love Note to Natural Beauty (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/lingerie-guide-figs-underwear-is-a-love-note-to-natural-beauty-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/lingerie-guide-figs-underwear-is-a-love-note-to-natural-beauty-nsfw/#respondSun, 03 Dec 2017 17:57:28 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101177There is nothing more refreshing than viewing a recent campaign from a lingerie brand who matches what we define as the ideal aesthetic. Body positive, celebrating the slopes and curves of the womanly form. Ethereal, giving a nod to organic details through rich spun silk, warm chestnut wood, and fresh fruit galore. Diverse casting that makes the visuals feel like a modern take on a classic renaissance painting. The debut campaign from Figs Underwear has truly captured our hearts.

In case you’re feeling what we’re feeling and are currently caught in the I-gotta-have-it mindset, feel free to peruse their online shop here. Give them a follow on Instagram too, while you’re at it.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/lingerie-guide-figs-underwear-is-a-love-note-to-natural-beauty-nsfw/feed/0Divinely Guided: Brooklyn-Based Artist Jessica Yatrofsky On Her Debut Poetry Collection, Pink Privacyhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/divinely-guided-brooklyn-based-artist-jessica-yatrofsky-on-her-debut-poetry-collection-pink-privacy/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/divinely-guided-brooklyn-based-artist-jessica-yatrofsky-on-her-debut-poetry-collection-pink-privacy/#respondTue, 05 Dec 2017 18:36:10 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101275Jessica Yatrofsky photographs gorgeous portraits of men, women, and everything in between. She has made films for Jean Paul Gaultier and Laura Siegel. Her work is part of the permanent collection at the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, and she’s contributed to The New York Times and Brooklyn Magazine. But she has never written a book of poetry, until now. Wrapped in pink linen and embossed in gold, with illustrations by Live FAST favorite Alphachanneling, Pink Privacy is a limited-edition collection that explores… Well, we’ll let you hear that from Jessica.

Q&A

LF: How would you describe Pink Privacy?

JY: Pink Privacy is a snapshot of experiences I’ve gone through from young adult womanhood to where I am now in my mid-thirties. It’s poetry, but the poems come from a very personal, private space. Some of it’s pretty harsh—just pure uninhibited expression—and it can be snarky and directed toward men. There’s a lot of innuendos, and just a lot of very direct experiences. And I like to think that by capturing what I’ve been through, I’ve, in a way, encapsulated the late-twenties, early-thirties experiences that a lot of other women can relate to.

LF: Can you tell us about the process of writing your first book of poetry?

JY: Well, it’s one of the only pieces of work that I’ve created that was completely stream-of-consciousness. Like, one day I just decided to start writing. I was inspired. I think I was divinely guided, and it felt so pure to me—so cathartic. I didn’t give a fuck about anything when I was writing this, because I didn’t think anybody would read it. So I was creating for myself, and by the time I was done with this particular collection, I had over two hundred poems, and I thought, ‘Okay, I have to stop here.’ Because, by that time I thought I’d expressed everything that had built up over the years. And then I started to write more poems, but they were almost like a new volume or a new chapter of experience.

LF: The subtitle is, “an anthology of sex, burns, truths, and cunt tales.” Could you speak to that? What are cunt tales? And what would you say is the overarching theme of Pink Privacy?

JY: [Laughing] Well, Pink Privacy has a lot to do with the men who’ve fucked me, and you know, that has a double meaning: it references both the guys I’ve slept with, and the guys who’ve fucked me over. Those are cunt tales. But the cunt tales are also juxtaposed with poems of love and ecstasy. So, having those conflicted emotional experiences is kind of like what you experience in life, I think, particularly for women—and they are all very intense. Heartbreak is intense. Feeling humiliated is an intense emotion. And that is something that connects all the poems.

I think a lot of girls can relate to that. I also think that, in venturing into your thirties, there’s a sense of empowerment that I never thought I would come into, and I don’t mean that I never felt like I would be empowered—I’ve always felt like an empowered woman—but once I arrived at my thirties, it was as if I was really able to embody this notion of empowerment. What that meant for me was that I came into my own as a sexual being, and as a woman who has claimed her sexuality and feels really comfortable in her own skin. With that feeling is also a feeling of being very confident about expressing myself, specifically towards men, which I do in all of the poems.

LF: It sounds like you learned a lot about yourself during the writing process…

JY: Absolutely. There were things I’d never dream of saying out loud before, and now I would never dream of not saying those things out loud. The most important priority for me, right now, is to express myself, and to stand up for myself, and I think that writing Pink Privacy really inspired me to just be true to myself, as cliché as that may sound.

LF: It’s a cliché, but an important one. And I’m curious: Knowing what you know now, is there any advice you would give to your younger self? Or to young women who might read Pink Privacy? Is the book instructive, in some way?

JY: Well, I don’t know. When I sat down to write the poems, I didn’t show them to anyone. I didn’t ask for approval. I came into it because it felt like the right medium at the time to say what I wanted to say. And then, when I went back and read what I’d written… that was an entirely different process. The writing was fun and exciting and exhilarating. But when I started to read what I’d written, it became clear that the writing had been a really powerful tool—and I think that is a tool that anyone can use, if they’re drawn to it. I think that any artistic process that allows you to produce from a pure, authentic state is going to help you, whether that’s music, writing, or painting. All of those things are just tools that we use to learn something about ourselves, and I think that any young woman—or any person—who is seeking to improve themselves, can use whatever modality they’re drawn to in order to explore those things about themselves.

LF: You mentioned that, in a sense, you feel you were divinely guided. What do you think triggered that? What led up to that moment?

JY: Just before writing Pink Privacy, I was traveling a lot and spending time overseas touring for a photography book I’d just put out. I was doing a lot of artist talks, and even though I was around a lot of people, I was really secluded for most of my travels. There was a lot of self-reflection happening, and I think once I was able to slow down, when I came home, all of it just came rushing in. Like, I hadn’t written for a very long time. So when I started to write the book, there was just a lot of excitement. It was all coming back to me—all these old relationships—but I had a sense of humor about the past. I wasn’t upset about the relationships anymore, and the more I wrote, the more energy I got from the process. And then, literally, I could not stop writing. I’d heard that people have experiences like that, but when I started to experience it myself, I said, ‘Okay, I’m going to lean into this and write.’ It was pretty much nonstop writing for seventy-two hours. When I had the initial spurt of creative flow, I was at home and I was jogging a lot, running, biking. I would pull off to the side of the street and keep writing on my phone. Writing things down on scraps of paper. Anything. I was in the shower and I have this board where I can write things, and I was scribbling all over it. I was waking up in the middle of the night to write, and writing first thing in the morning. It was the best. So for me, I guess, the book is like a retrospective of my feelings captured in a very specific period of time.

LF: Yeah, and a purging, it seems, of past relationship and experiences and flings and deeper connections.

JY: Exactly. When I was looking back on a past relationship, I would realize that they teach you something. But they also teach you, again, in hindsight. It’s almost like I’ve learned now that those things that I was so upset about… they didn’t really matter… but they taught me what a deeper connection is. Now, I feel I know what a deep connection is because I have all these other connections that seemed important but ultimately shallow.

LF: Having revisited those past relationships, and having had that purge which became Pink Privacy, I’m curious, what do you think an ideal relationship looks like?

JY: Well, I don’t know. But Pink Privacy was almost like a wake-up call to deepen your love for yourself and to value your relationship with yourself. That’s what I took away from the process. I was, like, ‘Damn, I love myself. I’m hot.’ I really put it all out there and now, when I move through the world, I have a sense of who I am and I’m not looking to other people for validation or encouragement. I possess that within myself. That was a very valuable lesson to learn.

LF: That’s amazing. It’s so true—loving yourself is difficult, but important. Alright, last question: How fast do you live?

JY: I would say the my initial reaction is, I don’t live fast at all. I work slowly, but am pretty prolific.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/divinely-guided-brooklyn-based-artist-jessica-yatrofsky-on-her-debut-poetry-collection-pink-privacy/feed/0BB Dakota Just Released a Loungewear Line You Can Don From Dawn to Duskhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/bb-dakota-just-released-a-loungewear-line-you-can-don-from-dawn-to-dusk/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/bb-dakota-just-released-a-loungewear-line-you-can-don-from-dawn-to-dusk/#respondFri, 01 Dec 2017 18:22:57 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101095You may be familiar with BB Dakota for their plush winter coats and oh-so-cute party dresses. Their #BabesInBBD hashtag boasts plenty of our favorite faces in the game – from Danielle Alcaraz to Kari Michelle to Brook Power, they wrangle some of the most interesting and dynamic influencers. When they announced they were releasing a loungewear line, we could hardly contain our excitement.

The dream is to feel like you’re wrapped in the comfort of pajamas all damn day but also look presentable and put together. It feels like BB Dakota has indeed made our wildest of dreams come true. The Catalina Jumpsuit feels like silky cotton heaven but looks like I’ve just happened to wander in from a lunch meeting on the West Side. I plan on packing the Higgins Snap Pant for when I stay over with my boyfriend’s family over the holidays – I will want to look comfortable and casual but never frumpy. Below is some snapshots of our most adored friends and allies donning their beloved pieces from the BB Dakota loungewear line. Shop your favorite looks here!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/bb-dakota-just-released-a-loungewear-line-you-can-don-from-dawn-to-dusk/feed/0A Romance Like This: Marc Baker’s “No Place I’d Rather Be” Music Video is Our Favorite Kind of Love Letterhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/12/a-romance-like-this-marc-bakers-no-place-id-rather-be-music-video-is-our-favorite-kind-of-love-letter/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/a-romance-like-this-marc-bakers-no-place-id-rather-be-music-video-is-our-favorite-kind-of-love-letter/#respondMon, 04 Dec 2017 18:45:02 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101174If we could bottle up the feeling of a Los Angeles night spent wandering throughout the East side, hopping from bar to bar to friend’s house to who knows were next, with the hope of staying up all night with that one person you can’t take your eyes off of… It would sound and look exactly like this video. Marc Baker, an Australian breed, Los Angeles-based creative, creates music that is at once romantic and punk. His debut music video, “No Place I’d Rather Be,” is a quintessential narrative of chasing love in Los Angeles.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/a-romance-like-this-marc-bakers-no-place-id-rather-be-music-video-is-our-favorite-kind-of-love-letter/feed/0A Natural Phenomenon: Rachel Harris’ Latest Body of Work is an Immersive Look at Nature’s Beautiful Toxicityhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/a-natural-phenomenon-rachel-harris-latest-body-of-work-is-an-immersive-look-at-natures-beautiful-toxicity/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/a-natural-phenomenon-rachel-harris-latest-body-of-work-is-an-immersive-look-at-natures-beautiful-toxicity/#respondWed, 29 Nov 2017 20:03:09 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101010Rachel Harris is an abstract expressionist artist based in Downtown Los Angeles. Known for her large scale paintings that play on color and technique, material and matter, each of her pieces is an otherworldly, dreamlike experience. Lately, she’s been pouring all of her attention Red Tides, her latest body of work that is debuting at Miami’s Art Basel.

On display at Fountain Le Bleau Hotel’s Ballroom from December 7th until December 10th, the show will focus on the natural phenomenon. Basically, when the eco-system is out of balance, natural toxins are produced. These toxins are known as red tides. Harris found much inspiration in this process, stating, “The visual effect is quite electric, the ocean becomes florescent and neon, created in natural toxicity. A representation of life, sometimes the most vivid and interesting of human interactions is when we are out of balance and pushed to extreme. I first saw this creation when I was ten years old and it left a deep impact that something so wrong could appear so beautiful.”

We’re excited to share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at this show, shot by Nicolas Corradi, alongside a chat with Rachel. If you happen to be in Art Basel next week, don’t sleep on this show! Best part of all? A percentage of all proceeds generated will be donated to Oceanic, a foundation dedicated to keeping plastic out of the water.

Q&A

LF: 2017 was a year marked with change – not only in pop culture and politics, but also for many artists. How have you seen your work evolve this year?

RH: That’s an interesting observation. This year I worked with a lot of new material. Also, my inspiration was a color palette that is very different to the things I’ve done in the past, so working with dark blacks and neons while using new materials was a big change. I was also inspired to contribute to this world by donating works from this series to Oceanic, a fundraiser committed to keeping plastic out of the ocean.

LF: Lately, when you haven’t been creating art, what have you been up to?

RH: I love music and I travel often for work. So… Dancing and traveling to new places.

LF: You often create large-scale works, with your pieces for Red Tides ranging between four and eight feet. What is your creative process like for such big pieces of art?

RH: I like to work on many pieces at the same time – that way I can do layers on each piece throughout the day and then continue the process the following day. I generally start out with framing, picking background material, and then a layer of texture. After, I begin to mix colors using dyes and paint.

LF: How did your creative process for Red Tides differ from that of Strung Out?

RH: Strung Out was inspired by psychedelic rock, so the color pallet was rainbow, and pastels. The Red Tide series is inspired by a natural phenomenon that occurs when the ecosystem is out of balance; essentially the ocean becomes a giant glow stick, with waves of bright neons. This is created in natural toxicity, and from this I created a pallet of dark blacks and neon greens. The difference in the work is the inspiration and the color pallet derived.

LF: Have you always considered yourself an abstract expressionist artist? Have you dabbled in any other genres of art?

RH: No. I have been an artist my whole life but I started out as an illustrator, and then later a painter. I didn’t get into abstract art until my last year at fine art school – I think it’s really important to learn the fundamentals. Learn the rules so you can break them.

LF: What is your favorite Art Basel memory?

RH: That’s definitely hard question… Art Basel is more than shows, it’s half art and half fun. For a lot of people, it is unfortunately barely even art. For me it becomes a 24/7 adventure – both seeing the art during the day and living through the night. It’s a wild week that’s both inspiring and draining.

I’ll share a crazy memory. I went to go see a gallery with my friends who had just taken acid. They kept losing me in the crowded show, so I went to a party supply store and bought a giant gold “O” balloon – it resembled Koons’ work. Needless to say, my friends didn’t lose me, and the rest of the crowd thought I was an art piece and started to take pictures. There is so much going on at Basel that the concept of art becomes burry.

LF: Does being a model, and thus being a subject of another person’s artwork, influence how you approach your own creative pieces? How so?

RH: Yes and no. I do tend to hold onto creative control during a photo shoot, especially if it’s me in my studio. However, making myself vulnerable to the viewer through photography directs an audience that otherwise wouldn’t see my art and challenges me on both a creative and spiritual level

LF: How fast do you live?

RH: Extremely. My youth is dedicated to experiences and I use all the energy I have to do it all.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/a-natural-phenomenon-rachel-harris-latest-body-of-work-is-an-immersive-look-at-natures-beautiful-toxicity/feed/0All Velour Everything: The Latest Drop from Year of Ours is Exactly What We Neededhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/all-velour-everything-the-latest-drop-from-year-of-ours-is-exactly-what-we-needed/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/all-velour-everything-the-latest-drop-from-year-of-ours-is-exactly-what-we-needed/#respondTue, 28 Nov 2017 23:42:47 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100992There’s something about velour tracksuits that makes me so nostalgic – it is a combination of my favorite 90s icons plus the plush feeling of ultimate comfort. As winter weather sets in (or some sort of myth about winter weather looms above us here in Los Angeles), I find myself longing for all velour everything – and of course, that leads me to our dear friends over at Year of Ours.

The Los Angeles-based brand embodies everything I love – athletic clothing that was made to hug curves, a range of styles and colors that could easily make me wear nothing but YOO. Their latest release of winter styles is cast in rich autumn hues and silky velour fabric. Check our favorite looks below and shop the winter collection here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/all-velour-everything-the-latest-drop-from-year-of-ours-is-exactly-what-we-needed/feed/0Stumped on What to Buy Your Art-Loving BFF? We’ve Rounded Up the Best Gifts from Society6http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/stumped-on-what-to-buy-your-art-loving-bff-weve-rounded-up-the-best-gifts-from-society6/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/stumped-on-what-to-buy-your-art-loving-bff-weve-rounded-up-the-best-gifts-from-society6/#respondMon, 27 Nov 2017 16:17:47 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100924Buying holiday presents for art lovers is a whole different type of challenge. Particular in their taste, you wouldn’t dare want to give them something that they’ve already seen – let alone, something they already own. In collaboration with our friends over at Society6, we created a series of gift guides featuring some of our most adored babes, such as Rachel Nguyen, Brook Power, and Nikia Phoenix. Turning to some of the most elevated women we know for the ultimate advice on bestie gifting situations, we’ve complied some of our most adored moments, answers, and advice from their features. Dive in below and act quick – almost everything on S6 is 40% off for Cyber Monday!

Rachel Nguyen of That’s Chic is a blogger known for her impeccable taste that expands beyond just her wardrobe. With an affinity for mixing high and low price points in her home decor and an eclectic approach to the holiday season, we loved her Society6 picks!

Brook Power is a woman who juggles her many titles with ease, creating a life for herself that is beautiful and based around the best things in life – love, creativity and family. Her Society6 gifting guide is filled with retro pieces that are bright, colorful, and fun. Shop her favorites below.

Nikia Phoenix is known for her dynamic hustle – from creating Black Girl Beautiful to modeling and acting, she is authentic and genuine in all aspects of her work. Her taste in decor is just as intriguing, ranging from cheeky to classy all in the same room. Take a peek at her favorite Society6 products below!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/stumped-on-what-to-buy-your-art-loving-bff-weve-rounded-up-the-best-gifts-from-society6/feed/0Hotel Tour: Minneapolis’ Alma Makes for a Homecoming Like None Otherhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/hotel-tour-minneapolis-alma-makes-for-a-homecoming-like-none-other/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/hotel-tour-minneapolis-alma-makes-for-a-homecoming-like-none-other/#respondFri, 03 Nov 2017 18:11:29 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99522Finding the perfect place to stay is a real skill. I’ve been honing the craft, learning what I like, what to look for, who to trust. My stay at Alma in Minneapolis was my golden seal, my first perfectly cooked soufflé, a homecoming like none other. It was everything. To keep this part of the story short, I should tell you I grew in Minneapolis. I have spent the past ten years revisiting as often as possible – I love the city. My stay at Alma opened an entirely new portal to the place I call home; a more refined adult version, filled with perfectly cooked fish, fine wine, and feather pillows.

Alma was already a fine dining institution in this city, serving a creative set-course menu for the last seventeen years in a gorgeous historic building. Major swoon. But they got a revamp recently when the coffee shop next door went up for sale. They jumped on the opportunity to acquire the entire building, and after a little magic, exposed brick, incredible taste, and some imagination they reopened their doors a year ago.

Alma is now (in addition to their incredible restaurant) an 8 room boutique hotel, coffee bar, and walk-in cafe open for lunch and dinner with a full service bar (and to die for cocktails.) So basically, they have everything. The only thing you might have a hard time with is finding a reason to leave.

Alma is situated near the banks of the Mississippi and just a quick jaunt from the ultra-hip North Loop (the new go-to neighborhood), lined with bars and restaurants, endless shopping in renovated industrial buildings, and incredible coffee at Penny’s first location. Minneapolis is dressed to impressed these days.

They are also the only boutique hotel currently open in Minneapolis. They actually had to change the laws in order to open their doors. It’s rumored that the old standing ordinance, preventing any property from opening a hotel with fewer than twenty rooms, was created to prevent brothels from popping up way back in the day.

Every room at Alma is unique. Designed by Talin Spring, the space is light and airy, using natural materials as a homage to the ease and breathability of a place like Minnesota. From the front door to your bedsheets, there is not a single detail left out in the cold. They use heavenly smelling bath products for their location, hand-woven vintage rugs, custom designed and handmade furniture from local white oak by Marvin Freitas of Form Co. All of this is strung together to make a refreshing and immensely comfortable stay.

Jenavieve and I were over the moon about the space, the staff, and how comfortable our bed was. We felt truly taken care of, as if we’d somehow called ahead with a list of all our particular and peculiar needs. Our personal favorite touch: every morning there was a tray delivered to our room with hot coffee, fresh jam, orange juice, and warm croissants. Breakfast in bed? Yes please. I could have stayed, moved in, and taken up residency if they let me.

On our last evening, Jenavieve and I had the most memorable night of our entire trip. One champagne-filled, hilarious, and memorable dinner in their restaurant. We sat at the bar, (which is my preferred seating in any restaurant) because it’s the perfect view. And as a waitress for nearly a decade, it makes me feel closer to a place, being near the trenches.

The entire staff treated us like queens, their adorable bartender gave us champagne and the chef de cuisine, Lucas Rosenbrook, came out to greet us. I swear, this man makes the best scallops I’ve ever tasted in my life. We worked our way through their menu and a bottle of wine, each dish a fresh surprise. The night swam by, the space peaceful yet lively as their open kitchen offered an exciting element to the elegant space. The food was some of the best I’ve had in my life, and I do not say this lightly: a perfect execution of flavor and texture, small notes beautifully crafted. It was the kind of dinner that makes you close your eyes when you eat it.

In fact, I’d say our entire experience from morning coffee to the bottom my champagne glass was that sort of experience. A homecoming like none other.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/hotel-tour-minneapolis-alma-makes-for-a-homecoming-like-none-other/feed/0Lingerie Guide: Angie Bauer’s Luxurious Intimates Will Make You Never Want to Leave the Bedroomhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/lingerie-guide-angie-bauers-luxurious-intimates-will-make-you-never-want-to-leave-the-bedroom/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/lingerie-guide-angie-bauers-luxurious-intimates-will-make-you-never-want-to-leave-the-bedroom/#respondTue, 21 Nov 2017 20:17:22 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100724There’s something so perfect about luxurious lingerie. The feeling of embroidered lace taut against your body, ribbed cotton contrasted with mesh, making a basic staple lavish. Angie Bauer, a new lingerie line we can’t get enough of, has mastered the art of beautiful lingerie. Each piece is opulent, the sort of lingerie that feels more like a second skin, perfect for the art of seduction or the wonders of a lazy Sunday spent lounging.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/lingerie-guide-angie-bauers-luxurious-intimates-will-make-you-never-want-to-leave-the-bedroom/feed/0Tropico Photo’s Best of 2017http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/tropico-photos-best-of-2017/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/tropico-photos-best-of-2017/#respondMon, 11 Dec 2017 18:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=101064If you tread slowly and wander with wide eyes, the world is a truly colorful and beautiful place. It pops and glows and slips into sunset. There is no one that reminds just of how true this is than Tropico Photo.

Their candy-colored images make life feel like a playground, a bold statement in every picture with geometrical wonder and inquisitive colors. This duo, made up of Michelle Norris and Forrest Aguar, creates their work in tandem, feeding off one another and each bringing their own flare to the fire. What is separate is essential to make what they make together. Tropico Photo made their first Live FAST appearance this fall and we’ve been craving their work ever since.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/12/tropico-photos-best-of-2017/feed/0Winter Is Here and We’re Obsessed with These Adorable Beanies Knit by Senior Citizenshttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/winter-is-here-and-were-obsessed-with-these-adorable-beanies-knit-by-senior-citizens/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/winter-is-here-and-were-obsessed-with-these-adorable-beanies-knit-by-senior-citizens/#respondThu, 30 Nov 2017 18:59:58 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100834Now and then you come across a company that is warm and fuzzy and makes you feel warm and fuzzy on the insides too. Enter stage right, WOOLN, a line of alpaca, merino, mohair, and cashmere beanies that are hand-knitted in New York by a team of senior citizen knitters. Because beanie season is now in full swing, even in LA, I couldn’t imagine a more apt time to show some love and order up a few holiday gifts from these lovely women.

What I find particularly feel-good about this operation is the way they honor the craftsmanship these women have spent their lives honing, and they create a community around that. They give them a platform to do something they love and connect these fiercely creative and legendary New York ladies. I spent some time catching up with the women who make WOOLN possible, and I only wish I’d been able to fly out there to have some tea, and practice a few knit and pearls myself.

Charmaine

LF: How did you get involved in WOOLN?

Irma: My daughter sent me a link to the WOOLN website with a note: “Gorgeous hats and check out who’s knitting them! Think you should look into this.” I loved the hats and the concept. The idea that Margaux and Faustine were creating a team of grandmothers to knit their designs was very exciting. I sent them an email with some pictures of several items I’d made and was thrilled to receive a reply to come in for a chat. After knitting a sample, they welcomed me to the group.

Hollis: I saw an ad for “knitters wanted” on a bulletin board at a senior center and contacted WOOLN. I met Faustine in Washington Square Park. I rode my ” sweater bike” over so she could see a bicycle covered with all different colors and types of yarn, knit into very kind of stitch pattern, and sewn onto every safely coverable inch of my bike. I wanted her to know I knew how to knit. She hired me.

Gloria

LF: What does WOOLN bring into your life?

Irma: Knitting is a true passion. WOOLN has given me an opportunity to do what I love using the very finest materials. Coming together with women of the same generation, who share a creative spirit, is a major highlight. It is a very special feeling working with young women who value and appreciate what seniors have to offer.

Gloria: Knitting has always been a part of my life. It brings up fond memories of the women (mother, aunts, and neighbors) in my past.

Hollis: WOOLN brings a sense of purpose to my life, and provides a camaraderie with like-minded people. The WOOLN team is an extremely diverse group of women of different races, religions, and nationalities, but we have a few things in common: We are all crazy cool, we have all lived long and have had many life adventures (which is a nice way of saying we are all old), and we love to knit.

Tomoe

LF: What does an afternoon knitting look like for you? Where do you sit? Do you listen to music? Do you have tea? Or any kind of rituals when it comes to knitting?

Gloria: An afternoon of knitting for me might be at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee or tea. It could also be sitting or standing at the playground while spending time with my grandchildren. I do knit on the subway as well, especially if I get a good seat and it’s a relatively long trip. If I’m at home knitting, I always have sound on… Either a podcast or my music.

Annie: I never knit a whole afternoon in the same place. I knit everywhere in my bedroom, on my terrace, on the beach, in the car, on a bench in the park, anywhere when I have a moment between my other activities.

Velma

LF: If you could give a message to the girls who are wearing your hats, what would you tell them?

Hollis: I would tell the guys and gals who wear the hats I knit to run in them, dance in them, smile and laugh in them. Wear them with joy because they were made with joy. I would also tell them to buy another WOOLN hat. One hat is never enough.

Velma: The garments usually do not get excessively soiled so there is no NEED to put these garments into the washing machine. Just soak in warm water with a little soft soap. Then rinse with cold water and wrap in a towel to remove the excess water and dry flat.

Irma: Appreciate that your hat is one of a kind, handcrafted especially for you. Share the joy of wearing our hats, give one to a friend or two.

Annie

LF: New York, as every place does, has changed a lot over the years. What was your favorite time there? Favorite neighborhood or apartment or job? What is your favorite thing about it now?

Irma: My husband was born and raised in NY and I moved here when we married. First impression – big, scary, so many people! But those were the years when businesses were closed on Sundays and we would take full advantage of the quiet streets of Manhattan. We were young and felt like the city belonged to us. When our first grandchild was a year and a half old, we gave up or house of 33 years in Queens and moved to Brooklyn to be close to our growing family. I can happily say, it was the best move! It has been our very good fortune to be part of their day-to-day lives as they grow.

Hollis: I have lived in NYC a looooong time. Every new year, I reflect on the past year and think, ‘This was the best year yet!’ because the city is always changing it is always new and exciting. Living in the Village in the middle of the NYU campus there is always the seasonal ebb and flow of students. It’s good when the kids go home for the summer (a bit more peaceful), and it’s GREAT when they come back (the neighborhood is re-energized).

Annie: I love New York city and I spend lots of time discovering new places.

Hollis

Take a peek below at some images from WOOLN’s newest campaign and order yourself up one, or two, or five. Because like Velma said, “One just isn’t enough.”

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/winter-is-here-and-were-obsessed-with-these-adorable-beanies-knit-by-senior-citizens/feed/0We’re Barreling Toward 2018 and Blasting Folk-Pop Duo Girlyboihttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/were-barreling-toward-2018-and-blasting-girlyboi/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/were-barreling-toward-2018-and-blasting-girlyboi/#respondTue, 28 Nov 2017 19:57:34 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100816It’s hot in LA today and I’m writing with the windows open and the words aren’t coming well, and I am in need of something to move me. I rifle through my email looking for something else to work on and this gorgeous, true love-esque editorial of folk-pop duo Girlyboi is waiting for me. They call themselves delusional troubadours living out the fantasy of romance, and it’s the most honest thing I’ve heard all day. And if we’re being honest, I’d never heard their music until now. I open links, I get a glass of water and I start listening – you should too.

On good days people surprise me and on the best of days they make me fall in love with them. Girlyboi has done both in a quick instant. They sing dreamy pop folk that makes me thankful the windows are open, in case someone else strolls by they too can enjoy. Some tambourine, Carly Russ’s angelic voice, echoes from Joseph Matik, more tambourine.

Their achy love anthems that make me want to dance, something I could listen to on repeat on a long drive, shading the desert more interesting colors. They’re voices blend together the way voices only do when two people are either in love or share the same DNA. I’m a believer that our relation to one another changes the way we sound together. You can hear the souls meshing, I swear it. It’s a new kind of love song, or an old kind made new again. I don’t care. I dig it.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/were-barreling-toward-2018-and-blasting-girlyboi/feed/0“Golden Light” by Lauren Kaihttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/golden-light-by-lauren-kai/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/golden-light-by-lauren-kai/#respondWed, 22 Nov 2017 00:16:07 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100866When the sun drenches all in golden light and his skin reflects warmly, it is wonderfully clear that we are caught in the best hour of the day. It is magic, a sort of magic that creates shimmering jewels, that reminds us of the warmest days of our lives – the ones spent running barefoot through freshly mowed grass, dodging sprinklers at sundown, wandering suburban neighborhoods. The days when your independence was never confused with loneliness. The golden light known as youth, the warm glow known as freedom.

We’re pleased to present an exclusive editorial from photographer Lauren Kai Quartey. She captures male model Yoeli William in her West Adams neighborhood. A gorgeous exploration of compliments and contrasts, we find the simple yet moving nature of this story striking.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/golden-light-by-lauren-kai/feed/0“Le Deuxième Sexe” by Jenny Hvidinghttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/le-deuxieme-sexe-by-jenny-hviding/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/le-deuxieme-sexe-by-jenny-hviding/#respondMon, 20 Nov 2017 18:55:37 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100665Sometimes youth feels like a combination of faded photographs, bruised thighs, and late nights with loved ones. This story from Oslo-based artist Jenny Hviding represents the beauty of being a young woman and the camaraderie that exists in blooming friendships. A collection of eclectic women juxtaposed with old photographs from Cuba and Brazil was a creative decision that Hviding made to draw the spectator’s focus away from the geographical and focus on the female energy at hand.

Inspired by Simone de Beauvoir, a french existentialist that Hviding was reading during the time this project was created, each photo shows a different dynamic of femininity. Le Deuxième Sexe, aptly named after the Simone de Beauvoir title that translates to The Second Sex, encourages us to dive deeper into the feminine energy, to pull it apart and look at every fiber that creates the construct.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/le-deuxieme-sexe-by-jenny-hviding/feed/0Live FAST Radio: Soft Serve 003 with Rae Wittehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-003-with-rae-witte/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-003-with-rae-witte/#respondWed, 15 Nov 2017 19:01:06 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100649There’s comfort in routine – not routine as in settling, but in knowing what works for you – and consistently keeping people, places, and things that disrupt that at arm’s length or further.

But newness is so exciting.

For anyone pushing outside their norm, for better or worse, consciously or subconsciously, this playlist is full of artists I’m not very familiar with at all but made music pretty representative of a few weeks spent outside my comfort zone.

And, it’s perfect for a travel day.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-003-with-rae-witte/feed/0“Found a Reason” by Ethan Gulleyhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/found-a-reason-by-ethan-gulley/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/found-a-reason-by-ethan-gulley/#respondTue, 14 Nov 2017 18:29:44 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100611If I were not me, and you were not you, who would we be busy being? If we were not here, and we were there instead, would here still be there? We go out to the desert to find a reason, to where nothing can hedge us in. Out where there are no echoes, nothing for your voice to bounce against, out where it just doesn’t come back. You talk a lot about who you were before this, as if you’d like me to meet her someday. And I wonder if someday you’ll say the same kinds of things about being with me. Out here in the kind of sun that feels more like a feeling than quality of light. You ask me, ‘How far do you think it goes?’ And I don’t know if you mean the desert or us.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/found-a-reason-by-ethan-gulley/feed/0“Only In Barcelona” by Francesca McConnellhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/only-in-barcelona-by-francesca-mcconnell/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/only-in-barcelona-by-francesca-mcconnell/#respondMon, 13 Nov 2017 19:15:05 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100592“It was in Barcelona that I felt most in love with myself. And that is to say, I loved who I was in the years I was living there. I loved how I saw myself in that city. There is bite to the romance, a cadence to the language, a languid kind of way you could pass an afternoon having a smoke in a plaza. It was during those years, more than any other time in my life, I never worried about who I was going to be, I just was.” – On Living in Barcelona,Erin Rose Belair

This colorfully inventive editorial of Ukrainian model Anastasiia Koshelieva was shot on film in Barcelona. Traveling analog photographer Francesca McConnell uses the space of the city as a second model in these shots. Paired with the glittering sequins, the yellow tinted glasses, the look on her face, there is something disarming and very seductive in these images.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/only-in-barcelona-by-francesca-mcconnell/feed/0From Stockholm to Venice Beach: Celebrating Corduroy Appreciation Day with The Cords & Co.http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/from-stockholm-to-venice-beach-celebrating-corduroy-appreciation-day-with-the-cord-co/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/from-stockholm-to-venice-beach-celebrating-corduroy-appreciation-day-with-the-cord-co/#respondSat, 11 Nov 2017 16:46:22 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100563Once considered the poor man’s velvet, corduroy was worn widely by workers, artists, and students throughout America and Europe in the 19th century. Comprised of what looks to be cords laid together, it is soft but also durable and made of the same fabric as velvet, fustian. By the 20th century, corduroy started to shake its reputation for being a signifier of the middle class as it became popularly used in children’s school uniforms, military and sportswear, and later popular among the anti-establishment movement throughout the ‘60s. By the ’80s it returned with a lot of structure before the ‘90s introduced stretch corduroy offering more feminine silhouettes.

“Corduroy is not flat, it’s up and down – that’s what we like about it. Without the lows you cannot experience the highs.”

But, what do you do when you want to disrupt one of the longest standing sartorial lanes in the fashion industry? Founded in Stockholm in 2016, The Cords & Co is the first premium corduroy brand set out to make their own space in the denim world and be the coziest alternative to denim. Founders and former owners of Happy Socks, Mikael Söderlindh and Viktor Tell, wanted to create pants you wear as easily, frequently and as versatile as jeans, but in history-rich corduroy. “By highlighting its long but little known history, working closely with friends and an extended community in each of our flagship city locations, we’re sharing our story of a fabric everyone has a connection to, yet no other brand has dedicated themselves entirely to” says Omar Varts, CEO.

Committed to making the world re-fall in love with the fabric, the launch could not have come at a better time. Corduroy has become a major trend to watch for this fall with both magazines for men and women like GQ and Vogue offering their spin on how to wear it and where to buy it. When brands like Prada and Marni send it down the runway and fast fashion giants Zara hop on a trend, you know it’s going to be something to get on board with early.

With the August launch, five locations opened internationally – two in Stockholm, one in London, one in Paris, the Los Angeles/Venice location, and a New York store is next. In addition to their flagship stores in style capitals across the world, The Cords & Co are available with 20 retailers internationally and online for both women and men and carry not only primarily corduroy pant, top, and jacket options, but also graphic tees, sweatshirts, and hats.

They already started to work with established creatives like famed disco DJ, DJ Harvey as the face of their debut campaign, and artist Barbara Stauffacher Solomon to paint the mural in their Los Angeles location in Venice. In the future, they are planning a collaboration with Alpha Industries.

And, today, on November 11, The Cords & Co. is celebrating. When written numerically, the date 11/11 appears like the pattern of corduroy, thus it has been named National Corduroy Appreciation Day. For this year’s celebration, The Cords & Co. is giving the first 100 customers at each flagship store the opportunity to bring in old (clean) denim they’d like to get rid of and trade it for a pair of Cords for free. Seems likes it’s the best time to take advantage of the impending temperature drop and cozy up your denim collection with denim’s newest (or oldest) alternative and velvet’s most fun sister – corduroy for all! Snag a pair for yourself here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/from-stockholm-to-venice-beach-celebrating-corduroy-appreciation-day-with-the-cord-co/feed/0“Shorter Days and Waning Light” by Sal Moriartyhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/shorter-days-and-waning-light-by-sal-moriarty/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/shorter-days-and-waning-light-by-sal-moriarty/#respondThu, 09 Nov 2017 20:03:42 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100544In our latest exclusive editorial, we perform a study on the changing shapes of a lazy afternoon with Camille Orders. Stretching and shifting, lazing about from outdoor sunshine to indoor beams of light patterned by the blinds. Photographed by Sal Moriarty, we see the globetrotting editor of Sweets Magazine in her relaxed and natural state – taking a smoke break in the waning afternoon light, lounging in bed, slipping in and out of her most comfortable pieces of clothing.

This photo set functions as a perfect ode to the days getting shorter, and subsequently getting lazier, serving some much needed inspiration for taking it easy. Take a peek at our favorite selects below and keep up with Camille here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/shorter-days-and-waning-light-by-sal-moriarty/feed/0Meet Chaisley Lussier, the Singer Who Quietly Does Everythinghttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/meet-chaisley-lussier-the-singer-that-quietly-does-everything/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/meet-chaisley-lussier-the-singer-that-quietly-does-everything/#respondTue, 07 Nov 2017 19:41:34 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100524“You produced this?” is something Chaisley Lussier is tired of hearing. The Philadelphia-raised Los Angeles resident it a self-taught singer, songwriter, and producer on the verge of releasing her new untitled EP after a two-year hiatus from dropping new music. Talented and reserved, it seems Lussier’s new music is coming from a place of stability and growing confidence, being created throughout two major moves back and forth across the country in that time, LA to New York and back.

We were able to secure the world premiere of her latest single, “Talk.” Press play and get to know a little bit about Chaisley below.

Q&A

LF: When made you fall in love with music?
CL: Music has definitely been a constant. I started dancing very young and throughout college. My dream was to be a professional ballerina, but being petite was not considered desirable in the world of ballet so I began to take a more traditional route. I studied business and media at university, but really began craving a creative outlet after I stopped dancing. I’d always enjoyed singing but never took it seriously enough to go after it professionally. I also never got the solos in the school choir so I just assumed my voice wasn’t that great and didn’t think much of it (laughs).

I started experimenting with music production in an effort to deal with anxiety while at school. I was definitely ready to get out of there. I had a lot of regrets about school. However, I knew it was important to finish my education and graduate and so I did. Music helped get me through it. It was a slow progression but eventually there a came a point where I began writing to the music I was producing. I started having no knowledge of how to play an instrument or how to write a song or really even how to sing properly for that matter. Now that I’m thinking about it, I really fell in love with music when I began to understand what goes into the creation of music – what it really means to create a full body of work. The amount of soul, determination and dedication it takes, there is nothing more gratifying than working on a piece of music and listening to the final record in totality.

LF: What’s your favorite part about making music?
CL: I think for me, my music is so personal that being able to have it as an outlet makes it necessary for my overall well-being. It’s become my therapy in a lot of ways and it’s been the one thing that I could always rely on, no matter how bad things have gotten in my life. I’m very passionate about the whole process and each part of that process has it’s own important meaning to me. I also think that what I love about making music is that you are constantly learning and evolving – you could spend your lifetime working on music. Creative progression… It’s addicting.

LF: What made you want to switch to more instrumentation in your music?
CL: As someone who didn’t initially play instruments, it really came down to the resources that were available to me. I’ve always appreciated a more classic sound, but it’s also difficult to find the right people to incorporate into your music. Over time I’ve been fortunate to find some great musicians and work with them to build out the sound I’ve always envisioned. I’ve also gotten better at the few instruments I’ve been able to teach myself. Incorporating live instrumentation provides a lot more movement to a song. Coming from the side of a producer, I love songs that allow room for a guitar solo or sax solo. It’s not just about the vocals. It’s how everything fits together.

LF: You’ve lived in Philly, NYC, and LA. How has each city influenced your music?
CL: I’d say Philly has provided me the understanding and importance of the soul. It’s a culturally rich city and a musical city. A lot of jazz and soul as well as gospel. It’s a real city that provides real life experiences. It taught me a lot. New York is exhausting, you have to keep up. It really influences the way you carry yourself, less influential musically for me I think. But there is a bit of sexiness that the city brings about. Living in LA, I’m still adjusting years later. The music culture here is by far the most commercial. My experiences in LA have influenced my music from a compositional standpoint. You’re more cognizant of the “business” that is music.

LF: Favorite place?
CL: The stables. Horses really calm me. I grew up across the street from a boarding stable in a city which doesn’t happen often. It’s a Philly thing!

LF: What’s this single about and how does it fit into your album?
CL: ‘Talk’ is actually about two people, who ultimately are the same kind of person. Both of whom I experienced around the same time in my life. These men love to “talk” in an effort to discredit others or to make themselves look better. It seems like so many people these days are all too eager to speak falsely about themselves or others without care or consideration of the consequences that may come with this behavior. I experienced this with my ex-husband, discrediting me and spreading lies and rumors in an effort to protect his darkest secrets and ultimately himself. The other character in this narrative shall remain nameless. Though people may talk, I believe the truth always prevails. People may try to run from the truth, but sooner or later the truth always comes out! This is important to remember in life. This project touches wholeheartedly on the themes of love, heartbreak, truth and salvation. Not all love stories have a happy ending, but love gone wrong builds a stronger woman I believe.

LF: You’ve discussed mature themes on the album, but there’s still sexiness. As you find yourself making music from a more mature place, can you speak to how you look at sexuality differently and what makes a woman sexy in your opinion?
CL: There’s an interesting juxtaposition with this project. The content is actually quite heartbreaking but the atmosphere sonically is very sensual. Not everything I’ve written is about heartbreak, but sonically I stay consistent. As I’ve gotten older I’ve become more comfortable with who I am as a person, as an artist and as a woman and all the facets in between. I believe sexuality develops as you learn more about yourself and how you evolve from your experiences. Really, time is the only variable that can provide this kind of self-understanding. I think in today’s current culture “sex” has become so overt, I prefer more mystery and imagination. To me, intelligence, humor and wisdom are the sexiest of all qualities. There is nothing sexier than a woman who has lived. I hope most women realize that their journey is more desirable than their physicality, at least it should be, in my opinion.

LF: You prefer a more classic and natural look. Who are your style influences?
CL: My number one style influences have always been my grandmothers, I think. They are the most timeless natural beauties. They really taught me the value of quality over quantity but are certainly fearless when it comes to style. Very snazzy ladies! I gravitate towards looks that flatter my natural features, it also makes life a lot easier.

LF: Weird hobbies outside of music?
CL: Geology! It’s a very grounding hobby, no pun intended. I have a pretty impressive rock collection dispersed throughout my house, I’ve picked them up while traveling to new places or from places I’ve traveled to specifically for their interesting rocks… I just really love rocks?!

LF: What is Live FAST to you?
CL: It feels like I’ve lived many lives… I’ve always been the type who drops everything and moves across the country with one bag to my name to chase an opportunity. In fact, I’ve done that twice. Despite whatever outcome, I followed my heart to feed my passion. It’s important not to be careless, but don’t be afraid to take risks.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/meet-chaisley-lussier-the-singer-that-quietly-does-everything/feed/0“Everywhere I Go” by David Lekachhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/everywhere-i-go-by-david-lekach/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/everywhere-i-go-by-david-lekach/#respondMon, 06 Nov 2017 18:50:50 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100179Everywhere I go, I want to get out and walk around. I want to feel earth and concrete, stale subway air and mountain wind on my face. I want to taste a place, drink it up until I’m drunk on it. I want to ride west and watch the sun inch across the empty sky. I want to have a conversation with everywhere I go. And if you want, I want you to come too.

Photographer David Lekach and model Cameron Rose boil down the most essential way to interact with a place- have fun, get out and do something you love, get dirty, go fast, take a nap, have a beer, just be there. Donning some quintessentially laid-back brands like Crap Eyewear, Levi’s, Lot Stock and Barrel, and Vans, they make having fun also look really damn good.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/everywhere-i-go-by-david-lekach/feed/0“A Little Bit of That Kind of Love” by Filthy Mouth Creativehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/a-little-bit-of-that-kind-of-love-by-filthy-mouth-creative/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/a-little-bit-of-that-kind-of-love-by-filthy-mouth-creative/#respondTue, 07 Nov 2017 20:36:32 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100196I’m willing to love in a way that takes me apart at the seams, leaves me bare to the elements, and subject to the tides. I believe in loving like a religion, that this motel room is our church. And on bended knee we seek some kind of getting saved. I want to love in a way that recreates me in the image of it, so that afterwards, I might never be the same.

At a motel in Vegas, couple Dani and Marlon spend the afternoon with photographer and creative creature Brooke Olimpieri of Filthy Mouth Creative. She wanted to capture them for sometime, to bottle up their love and who they are in this moment, in that special way only images can do. Dani is a model who carries an aura with her like she sauntered in from another decade and Marlon is a musician who just released a new album. You can’t help but stare at their love bouncing around that motel room. As Brooke puts it, “I think we’d all be lucky to have a little Dani and Marlon kinda love…” I’d have to agree.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/a-little-bit-of-that-kind-of-love-by-filthy-mouth-creative/feed/0Lookbook Lust: Ziran’s Latest Inspires Us to Live a Life in Silkhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/lookbook-lust-zirans-latest-inspires-us-to-live-a-life-in-silk/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/lookbook-lust-zirans-latest-inspires-us-to-live-a-life-in-silk/#respondFri, 03 Nov 2017 17:45:39 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100445Live a life in silk. Wrap yourself up in fabrics that make you feel like the most perfectly cared for version of yourself. Buttery fabrics that kiss your kiss, just a whisper between you and the rest of the world. So, that even on the days when the flowers don’t bloom and the trees don’t fruit, you have something to remind you of how beautiful it is.

Ziran’s new lookbook has us lusting over how to dress our selves on the daily. Filled with luxury sustainable silks in their classic silhouettes, they’ve updated each piece with new earth prints and there is so much to swoon over. From out out on the couch to out on the town, there is no question that these buttery soft silks will make you feel like the total queen you are.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/lookbook-lust-zirans-latest-inspires-us-to-live-a-life-in-silk/feed/0An Autumn Adventure: A Picturesque Weekend Spent at Boutique Homes’ Far Meadow Propertyhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/an-autumn-adventure-a-picturesque-weekend-spent-at-boutique-homes-far-meadow-property/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/an-autumn-adventure-a-picturesque-weekend-spent-at-boutique-homes-far-meadow-property/#respondThu, 02 Nov 2017 00:26:18 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100399The air is finally crisp and it is beginning to look a lot like autumn. This shift in seasons has left us feeling reinvigorated and inspired to create. A team of our collaborators recently took to Far Meadow in the High Sierras for dinner al fresco and the creation of new memories. Staying at Boutique Homes’ Far Meadow property, Laura Austin captured photos as chef and co-owner of La HojaLuke Reyes prepared a meal full of fresh ingredients from The Kern Family Farm while others enjoyed the fresh mountain air.

The Kern Family Farm is a multigenerational farm nestled on the bluffs of the San Joaquin River in Northern California. Having recently opened a fresh produce and health food store front, The Gnarly Carrot, the farm is a wonderful union of community and health. I spoke to Rebecca Kern over at the farm and asked her and her family what they believe the most important reasons for supporting local farmers are.

“Firstly, to actually know your farmer and where and how your food is grown is a powerful thing to me. Building relationships, being there to answer questions, and to share both the joys and challenges of farming are very important aspects of the farmer to consumer connection. Also, we buy as local as we can, thus keeping more dollars in the community. Finally, the average product in the average store travels over 1600 miles from source to consumer, so we strive to reduce that large carbon footprint.”

The gorgeous, colorful, and fresh feast prepared is inspiration alone to support your local farmer, a feat that is easily accomplished by taking a trip down to the farmer’s market. The palette of flavors is complimented by Boutique Home’s lovely A-Frame abode.

The Far Meadow property is located in a beautiful remote location in the middle of the Sierra National Forest. 14 miles above Bass Lake on the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway, the property is surrounded by hiking trails, secret swimming holes, and majestic pockets of natural beauty. The home itself is unique in layout – it has one bedroom, can sleep up to four people, and is intimate and spacious at once.

I can’t help but be inspired to host an alternative Friendsgiving or New Year’s Eve soiree with some of my closest loved ones at the Far Meadow property. The options are truly abundant and a winter feast outside amongst some of your most favored personalities sounds like a splendid way to commence the holiday season. Book your stay at Boutique Homes’ Far Meadow property here.

Want more from Boutique Homes? Take a peek below.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/an-autumn-adventure-a-picturesque-weekend-spent-at-boutique-homes-far-meadow-property/feed/0In Full Bloom: A Conversation with Model Salem Mitchellhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/in-full-bloom-a-conversation-with-model-salem-mitchell/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/in-full-bloom-a-conversation-with-model-salem-mitchell/#respondThu, 02 Nov 2017 19:02:42 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100252It is so common for us to fall in love with girls off first Instagram follow, but it isn’t as common to learn about their layered personalities – hence why we knew we just had to have a chat with Salem Mitchell. A rising star with a refreshing perspective, Salem is known for her gorgeous look, innovative style, and quirky sense of humor. Anything but ordinary, we get to see the 19-year-old classic beauty bloom in this set photographed by Ali Mitton. Get to know Salem below!

Q&A

LF: Who/what is inspiring you the most right now?

SM: Right now I’m heavily inspired by those closest to me – my friends, my boyfriend, and just a lot young people I’ve been able to work with. I’ve noticed that everyone I’ve been surrounded by is so free and willing to take risks. It’s an interesting shift from when I was younger because growing up I was always a little bit afraid to step too far outside of the lines, I always wanted to be practical and so did a lot of the adults around me so it’s extremely inspiring to be around creative people around my age who are willing to go for what they want.

LF: What are your passions outside of modeling? If you weren’t a model, what would you be doing?

SM: Outside of modeling, I’m honestly still trying to figure it all out. I really enjoy public speaking, so I’d love to eventually be able to host or create some type of workshop or space where I’m able to speak to others and engage in exchanges of ideas, values, and just spread positivity.

LF: Your taste in fashion is unique and eclectic. Who are your fashion muses? What is the best style advice you’ve ever received?

SM: My biggest fashion muse at the moment is Ashley Banks from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Her style is so great and she has so many looks depending on occasion that are so different but true to her… Or her character in the show ha. The best style advice I’ve received is to be yourself with your style. Sometimes, I’ll second guess myself and wonder if an outfit is too weird or a skirt is too short, but I’ve learned to just go for it and wear what I feel good in.

LF: You, as well as many of your close friends, are young women of color who are equal parts gorgeous and aspirational. Do you ever feel a pressure to perform or please your followers? If so, how do you deal with it?

SM: I wouldn’t say that I ever feel pressure to please my followers, but you have to be careful with your words when so many people are watching what you’re saying. You never want to come off as rude or insensitive to any of the people that support you and want the best for you. I think the best way to handle it is by communicating and asking questions. If someone disagrees with me or how I’m addressing something or someone, I’ll always ask why they feel that way and make an effort to understand another perspective.

LF: You seem very confident, secure, and at ease in your skin. What is your advice for other young women who are struggling with low self-esteem?

SM: My advice to those with low self-esteem is to take your time finding yourself and what you makes you feel good about yourself. Also, try to ignore those around you who may be clouding your judgement about yourself. Sometimes friends, family, or romantic partners can try to change or comment on things you do, how you identify, what you want to wear, etc. It’s best to live for yourself and not get stuck trying to please those around you.

LF: What’s on your bucket list?

SM: One thing I really really want to do sometime in my life is be on an episode of Law and Order: SVU. Even if I’m just an extra, I’d love it hah.

LF: How fast do you live?

SM: I don’t live fast at all honestly, I try so hard to keep things where they are. I was always a kid who never wanted to get older and now I’m 19 and I’m missing being 9. Obviously, I do genuinely enjoy the privileges that come with being older, but every part of my life is so valuable and special to me that I wish it could slow down sometimes so I can just bask in how wonderful life is.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/in-full-bloom-a-conversation-with-model-salem-mitchell/feed/0Sexual Healing: The Sacral Chakra and Its Relationship to Sexuality, Repression, and Emotionshttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/sexual-healing-the-sacral-chakras-and-their-relationship-to-sexuality-repression-and-emotions/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/sexual-healing-the-sacral-chakras-and-their-relationship-to-sexuality-repression-and-emotions/#respondWed, 01 Nov 2017 17:13:39 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100386‘Sexual Healing’ is a monthly column written by Lauren Fleishman. Focusing on often overlooked and, at times, taboo sex topics, Lauren takes an explorative approach to the art of getting it on.

I had a friend come over to my place the other day. I watched him wander around my space, he looked at all of my books and my art. My favorite piece from photographer Michael Donovan called “Ass Crystal” hangs on my wall – it’s a photo of a very beautiful ass with a gorgeous clear quartz crystal on top of it. After a few moments of looking at it, he came back to me and asked, “What’s your obsession with sex?” I answered, “I’m not obsessed with sex, I’m obsessed with healing.” He looked at me blankly. In his mind, there was zero connection between the two. Yes we know sex feels good and it’s the vehicle to procreate, but it’s also an energetic exchange, a spiritual exchange and can even be a form of active meditation. If you read my last article titled Sex Magic, you learned you can even manifest things, too. The true key to creating deeper, more profound sexual connection, experiences and enhancing creativity is surprisingly found in our healing, and one way is to heal ourselves is through understanding our chakras – specifically the sacral chakra.

First of all, what is a chakra?

If you do a basic search, the internet probably tell you, “Chakra means wheel of energy inside the body.” This is a metaphor and sort of like a religion. A Chakra wheel is a simple way to visualize complex ancient belief systems that lay within the energetic body. There are seven main chakras thought to reside in conglomerated points associated with the organs along the same vertical path as the vagus nerve, but within the energetic body.

What is an energetic body?

For the sake of simplifying numerous and similar esoteric terms, there are essentially three layers of the general human experience:

The energetic body is that mystical murky area where science stops and esoteric concepts begin. Chakras reside in this space, and they themselves are not good or bad, they are considered to be important “check-in points.” Imagine the space between the top of our head and the tip of our spine as a giant vertical pipe and chakras are the swirling wheel that drains and distributes certain types of emotional energy to other places in the body.

If any of the the drains are full or clogged with unprocessed emotions, personal unspoken truths, unconsciousness and repression, our energy becomes stagnant. When our energy is stagnant this can affect our sex life, our creative life, and really everything pertaining to our experience. Have you ever seen a stagnant body of water? It’s a danger zone, a petri dish for potential sickness and disease. Science is beginning to catch up to the causal relationship between emotional repression and physical/mental illness. “Blocked chakras” is one way of interpreting what can happen when we don’t deal with our emotional shit.

In our world, we have an imbalance in values.

Science and rational thought (masculine energy) is overly valued – seen as strong. Emotions and intuition (feminine energy) is devalued and seen as weak. There is no reason why the two can’t work together in harmony. However, there is an inherent and understandable fear and resistance in dealing with that which is uncomfortable (emotions). In my humble opinion, there is nothing more courageous or strong than working on yourself, feeling your emotions, unclogging that which is causing illness. Being alone and focused long enough to deal with yourself is tough.

Feeling is hard.

I know this because I’ve suffered from sexual repression, depression, low self-esteem and crippling social anxiety throughout my adolescence and early twenties. It fucking sucks. Before I had the tools to deal with it, these “mental illnesses” affected every facet of my life, including sexuality. Unable to speak my truth, create art, have boundaries or do anything but people please, I often times made decisions that unknowingly went against my own self interest thus blocking my creativity and the highest expression of my self.

Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, my favorite influential thinkers, both attribute mental illness to an ‘inner cause.’ Freud’s sexual theory is that sexual repression is the root cause for the majority of mental and physical illness. Jung differs slightly as he believes sexual repression is one of many causes of mental illness. Regardless, both Freud and Jung ultimately agree that sexual repression is unhealthy for the individual and what is unhealthy for the individual is unhealthy for the collective.

Discovering what is ‘wrong’ with me was one annoyingly long journey.

The next journey was figuring out what to do about it. Pharmaceuticals tend to cause more residual havoc than sustained relief, so when I have a problem I always try the holistic route first. I went to Costa Rica and I learned about chakras and alternative healing at Blue Spirit Retreat in Costa Rica, a community attached to the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. Both of these communities are the brainchildren of the respected Stephan Rechtschaffen, MD. I had a few holistic teachers at Blue Spirit, one who explained to me the theory of chakras. She explained that “balancing your chakras” is not just for bougie new-age women who attend yoga classes, it’s a holistic way everyone can release toxic emotions and sexual repression so we can become more balanced, mentally, physically, spiritually.

She went through all of the chakras and talked about what it feels like to have them balanced and what it feels like to have them imbalanced. She spoke of the sacral chakra, particularly what it looks like when not in balance. The key characteristics are:

– Dependency, co-dependency with other people or a substance that grants you easy access to pleasure

– Being ruled by your emotions

– Feeling numb, out of touch with yourself and how you feel

– Overindulgence in fantasies, sexual obsessions

– Lack of sexual desire or satisfaction

– Feeling stuck in a particular feeling or mood

I identify with a lot of these “symptoms” and I suspect a lot of people struggle with them, too. Western society tells us it’s okay to take a pill, ignore or cover up our emotions. I disagree. I think whether or not you you believe in chakras doesn’t matter, regardless there is a relationship between our energetic body, emotions and our sexuality/creative output.

In Part 2 of this series, I will discuss ways to “unblock” the emotions clogging up the sacral chakra which can lead to better sex and more sustained creativity.

“Because hair is political,” was how poet Yesenia Montilla lunged into her reading at the Empire Reading Series, a monthly curation of the most celebrated poets held in Brooklyn. As I listened to her, it dawned on me that in talking about the politics of hair, I’ve neglected to view it through the prism of my own brown experience, somewhat stupefying considering my experience of hair has been completely politicized by that very posture. In absorbing Montilla’s burning lines, “Her hair has not been straightened like a ballerina’s back” or the lyrics of both Knowles sisters, “I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros” / “Don’t touch my hair”, I reflected that the common denominator for women of color has always been the Eurocentric benchmark.

For me, my relationship with this benchmark is like the proverbial Spanish bullfight. I have charged and chased at the red flag that has been waved at me by all of the style magazines, TV commercials, the sharp features and fair skinned finalists of beauty pageants, the media, the list goes on. I have bought into the western aesthetic dream and thrown copious amounts of time, money, and mental energy at it. All without challenge or question. It has literally felt like a violent pursuit of an unreachable ideal; a mad rush in which I am not only set up to fail, but to be entrapped in a spiral of diminishing self-esteem. The use of present tense as my fingertips punch out these reflections is itself an awakening to how long the pull to meet this ideal has stayed with me. It stares back at me from physical mirrors as well as my subconscious mirrors. No doubt, an entire anthology could be dedicated to how all brown women experience the relentless haunting of this ideal (seriously, let’s dog-ear that project). For now though, let me focus on voicing its impact on my experience of hair.

It’s true that some South Asian girls with our “Indo-European” genes have straight, finer hair. It’s also true, that many of us, myself included, don’t. At the age of fifteen I abandoned my thick “Manjula” braid and pleaded with my migrant parents to cough up the $300 dollars to have my hair chemically straightened. It was an hour and a half long bus journey to the Blue Star salon in Chinatown, I would spend an entire day sitting in a salon chair permeated in chemical fumes. But once that was all done, the verdict was out. Finally, my newly tame and lifeless hair just about fit in with the sea of golden swinging pony tails of my diversity starved High School in northern Sydney. I actually started getting more attention from the opposite sex after a part of me aligned a little closer with the Eurocentric prototype. There was nothing like that Anglo-male adolescent feedback to cajole me into thinking I was really on to something.

The floodgates were open, by college I had my sights set on the next project – lighten.

No, not your standard drugstore bought dye in bathroom sink job (my hyper-critical hair lens could tell the difference between a bottle job and a salon job), I mean I took all of that hard earned cash from my part-time retail gig while studying my ass off in law school and funneled it to an ultra-chic coloring salon on the north shore. Ah the beauty of capitalism, you get what you pay for, another three to four hours of weaving fine foils of bleach throughout my dark mane and I emerged with highlights that were a match for Giselle Bundchen – or any of the brazen babes walking the Victoria Secret ramp for that matter. If I kept my skin out of the sun long enough, this brilliant combination would have me resembling the fairer Bollywood beauties, or better yet pass for a “mix” or person of Mediterranean origins. The goal posts of my experience of Australian beauty standards had only shifted so much between high school and college. Beyond blonde beach babes, there was a growing appetite for more “exotic” appearances, and I mean exotic in the most limited understanding of that word, the same way “darker features” means brown irises instead of green ones, and olive skin tone instead of deep brown. Essentially the beauty lens had innovated from Aryan to more salacious Mediterranean model. That’s all to say that there remained no prototype of beauty that embraced my South Asian origins. And if you think Bollywood was any saving grace, guess again. In many ways, the skin bleached shimmying divas on India’s silver screens were far worse to aspire to, a perfect recipe of delusion and hypocrisy to the common appearance of Indian women.

“Everything off?”

At the time of my very first bikini wax I wasn’t conscious of the double entendre behind this fairly standard routine question from a beauty therapist. Undoubtedly, the majority of South Asian women grapple with another dimension of hair politics – the politics of body hair. It’s safe to say that South Asian women tend to have more body hair than our other ethnic counterparts. I was raised within the Sikhfaith where hair is seen as a divine bestowment that you should not be messing with. Long and unshorn hair is encouraged and for the conservatives, mandated. You can imagine the frustration and confusion of growing up between, on the one hand an upbringing where your community would often look to the length of your braid as a sign of whether you were a “good” and “traditional” girl, and on the other hand, an experience of young adulthood where you couldn’t run around in PE class without being called gorilla legs. When it came to rising to the Eurocentric occasion, my body hair game was even fiercer than my efforts for the hair on my head. From chemically bleaching my face to lighten the facial hair, to waxing my lady parts when I wasn’t even sexually active yet, to spending thousands of dollars over the years on laser hair removal to zap away my monobrow, sideburns, lady moustache, underarm hair, and any other remnants of my hairy brown-ness. The hair on my body was a political liability, more evidence of my origins, more ammunition for being stereotyped, more cause to be undesirable. I had never even considered it an option to do otherwise.

For brown women, there’s an additional connotation to consider when it comes to body hair. As well as the expectation on all womankind to not possess a trait that is deemed only natural and appropriate on male bodies, this very trait is also pinned as an innate and defining un-desirable quality of brown people. White people, especially in Australia, tend to focus on a fairly natural quality of a minority and weaponize the ability to bluntly point it out as an offense against Eurocentric standards. Racial slurs like “you hairy Indian”, “black/brown/[insert other nonwhite color] bitch” and (my personal favorite) “curry muncher!” are the bi-product of this tendency. It was therefore a double offense to firstly have more hair on my body than any man, and secondly to have more body hair than any white person.

In all the waxing, and shaving and lasering, I thought I was making things easier for myself, but in essence I was simply making it easier for society to legitimize the prescribed expectations of beauty that I simply do not measure up to. So now when my more “woke” and older self walks into a salon and is met with the routine question,“Everything off?”, I can’t help feeling like the whole process is a metaphor for stripping me of my body hair and my brown-ness.

As Tasnim Ahmed so eloquently put it back in 2014, the third wave of feminism grossly under-represents the brown experience of hair. I could say that the white patriarchy owes me an apology as well as thousands of dollars in what I’ve expended in de-politicizing my hair. I wouldn’t be wrong in maintaining this but I’ve actually racked up a much heavier debt against myself. I owe myself an apology and I can give myself a more inclusive definition of beauty. We are so swiftly seduced by the standards of beauty the media presents to us that we overlook how disempowering the buy-in is. I could have been the example I was missing. I look at the celebration of body hair in the art of visual thinker, Ayqa Khan, or the proud way that fellow Sikh Harnaam Kaur carries her “lady beard” as she calls it. These women are both younger than me and literally embody the change that they want to see in the world. It’s far easier said than done and I won’t lie, the roots of my hair habits run very deep. I still get my hair colored (although these days it’s more of an effort to cover my grays) and make routine visits for a bikini wax, but I am at the very least alive to what these actions reflect about the world I grew up in.

I’d like to say that my self-grooming is more about my own preferences for how I want to look, and perhaps there’s some truth in that, however I know that these so called preferences are inevitably wrapped up in the earlier Eurocentric ideals that have been instilled in me. It’s not easy to bow out of these overnight. I’m glad to have dismantled the political connotations of how the hair on my head and body appears, but my relationship to my hair may always be, on some level, tied up with the ideals that I felt oppressed by.

It’s not all doom and gloom, I’m slowly learning how to reclaim that power back in my own ways and on my own terms. For example, after going through a difficult time in my personal life, I decided to cut my hair very short and have been wearing it in its natural glorious state of curls and thickness. Despite the knee jerk reactions of society when a woman drastically changes her appearance, the big chop was not in complete response to my emotional turmoil, but it did feel powerful to shed a part of me that has typically represented how “feminine” I appear, how desirable I am and how much I conform to not only the mainstream western prescription of beauty, but the traditional Indian ideal of virginal long hair. Even for Frida, while her “self-portrait with curly hair” and “self-portrait with cropped hair” echoed her feelings of estrangement from her husband, they also represented her sense of surrealism about her space in the world and a reclamation to a self-defined orientation.

Our natural state of hair as women of color is surreal and beautiful, what we choose to do with it of our own accord and even in response to any ideals or political triggers is also surreal and reflects how we choose to orient ourselves. In coming to terms with what hair means for self-identity, I’m not insinuating that every coloring or styling effort has to be dismantled and over-analyzed. Because this awakening only struck me so recently, I’m inviting other brown women, if they aren’t already doing so, to think about how their hair is also unavoidably, political. Start by asking: Why is your hair styled to look and feel the way it is? Is it because that is physically appealing to you? Where did your idea of what hair is physically appealing come from? What does that same idea say about the world you grew up in? How does that idea reconcile with the natural condition of what grows from your body?

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/because-hair-is-political-reflections-through-the-prism-of-the-brown-experience/feed/0A Dark Dream to Lust Over: SWIMM’s Music Video for “First Time” is Gorgeously Hauntinghttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/a-dark-dream-to-lust-over-swimms-music-video-for-first-time-is-gorgeously-haunting/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/a-dark-dream-to-lust-over-swimms-music-video-for-first-time-is-gorgeously-haunting/#respondMon, 30 Oct 2017 19:26:31 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100374Los Angeles-based SWIMM is known for their distinct sound – dark and shoegazey, yet danceable and dreamy. The duo, made up of vocalist/guitarist Chris Hess and percussionist Adam Winn, approach their visual aesthetics with the same sort of dream-filtered lens that is glossed over every note of their music. We’re thrilled to premiere their music video for their latest single, “First Time.” Directed by Jasmine Thomas, a horror director and self-proclaimed scream queen, the video is equal parts haunting and gorgeous. Dive in below and keep up with SWIMM here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/a-dark-dream-to-lust-over-swimms-music-video-for-first-time-is-gorgeously-haunting/feed/0Ian Francis’ Quietly Stunning “Artificial Winter” Is a Wake up Call That Tiptoes Between Fantasy and Realityhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/ian-francis-quietly-stunning-artificial-winter-is-a-wake-up-call-that-tiptoes-between-fantasy-and-reality/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/ian-francis-quietly-stunning-artificial-winter-is-a-wake-up-call-that-tiptoes-between-fantasy-and-reality/#respondThu, 26 Oct 2017 18:49:12 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100338Lately, it feels like we value honesty above all else. During a moment in history when disaster and tragedy seep continually into our everyday lives, turning our Twitter feeds into emotional minefields, a collective desire to speak up and speak loud has arisen, to unburden ourselves of long-buried secrets, to speak truth to power, to call out society’s tendencies towards narcissism, abuse, and violence. We are living in a warped reality that often feels like a bad dream we can’t wake up from, but we are fighting through it the only way we know how: by sharing stories, by offering support, by making art. U.K. artist Ian Francis’ new solo exhibition “Artificial Winter,” which opens this Saturday October 28th at DTLA’s Corey Helford Gallery, feels like a strikingly accurate representation of our current warped reality, capturing both the emotional chaos and the vulnerable strength emerging from its depths.

“Artificial Winter” marks Francis’ return to Los Angeles ten years after his first solo show here, and this darkly gorgeous exhibition was worth the wait, crashing into you like a jolt of lighting to the senses. His rich and colorful canvases probe the murky area between dreaming and waking, using charcoal, acrylic, oil, and ink to create emotionally textured portraits that are visually arresting and socially conscious. Part photo-realism, part abstract art, his surreal pieces confront our consuming relationship with technology and call out our media-inundated existence, questioning how social media and technology has affected the way we perceive ourselves, especially in light of “the pervasive feeling of a world falling apart.”

The pieces in “Artificial Winter,” which implies “a degree of control that’s impossible to have over nature, that can’t exist in the real world,” acknowledge the chaotic state of the world and the effect it has had on the human condition. They juxtapose delicate brushstrokes and details with raw swaths of movement and color that almost feel unfinished, using their interplay to comment on the fragile nature of our social media reality.

Drenched with vivid color and unusual texture, the simplicity of the scenes feels intimate and familiar, yet you can’t quite shake the specter of sex, violence, and death that haunts them, the very things that continually fuel our media obsession. Faint hints of skeletons and flashes of flickering neon hint ominously at the bizarre, while the titles of the pieces (“Vacation Resort Conversation Exit,” “Two Mannequins Wash Up On The Shoreline”) ground them in our contemporary world, leaving the works suspended somewhere between reality and fantasy, between the familiar and the unknown.

As the demand for transparency and authenticity reaches a fever pitch, it becomes critically important for us examine our relationship with technology and how we perceive and navigate the world around us. “Artificial Winter” does just that, with a quietly stunning seriousness. Francis’ exhibition tiptoes between photorealism and abstraction, between real and surreal, between who we are and who we pretend to be, evoking a vivid and hypnotic dream world that functions as a much-needed wake up call.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/ian-francis-quietly-stunning-artificial-winter-is-a-wake-up-call-that-tiptoes-between-fantasy-and-reality/feed/0Deep House Heads Rejoice: Introducing 2468 Radio with Jes Danz and Val Fleuryhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/deep-house-heads-rejoice-introducing-2468-radio-with-jes-danz-and-val-fleury/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/deep-house-heads-rejoice-introducing-2468-radio-with-jes-danz-and-val-fleury/#respondMon, 23 Oct 2017 18:32:29 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100269We’re excited to present 2468 Radio, a dance-floor series of deep house, tech-house, and dance music selects coming from babes Jes Danz and Val Fleury. They’re a team that is unique in their own right due to their ample experience behind decks, and their viewpoint as women (and women of color at that) in the industry, making this series the radio show we’ve been waiting for.

Functioning as an extension of their regular residencies, the ladies will bring you a mix of fresh finds, known favorites, their own productions, and interviews with top talent. The debut episode features an interview with vocalist, singer-songwriter, and performer Black Gatsby, as well as tracks from Green Velvet, Vaggio, Hercules and Love Affair, Mike Dunn, and an unreleased Portugal. The Man remix from Val. Take a listen here!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/deep-house-heads-rejoice-introducing-2468-radio-with-jes-danz-and-val-fleury/feed/0Autumn Harvest: A Grit Girl Hike with Astrologist Natalia Bensonhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/autumn-harvest-a-grit-girl-hike-with-astrologist-natalia-benson/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/autumn-harvest-a-grit-girl-hike-with-astrologist-natalia-benson/#respondWed, 25 Oct 2017 20:51:32 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100303Tucked away in the Hollywood Hills on an October day where the temperatures reached triple digits, we gathered to connect and explore. A scenic destination, with the Hollywood sign to the left and views of the whole city to the right, we gathered in an expansive home to forage new relationships, delve into our own personal astrological profiles, snack on an autumn harvest-themed feast and, of course, find our grit and get our sweat on. After a quick stop at a picturesque home to slip into some Richer Poorer t-shirt’s and socks, we walked a few paces outside the home’s driveway to hit the trail.

The hike to the Hollywood sign is gorgeous, especially in the golden hues of late October light. We walked up the steady incline, pausing to take in the fresh air and awe-inspiring views. A mix of creatives, fitness professionals, models, influencers, designers, and an astrologer, the group dynamic made for fascinating conversation. Finding our way back down the steep incline as the sun kissed the horizon, we were all bathed in golden light, embracing the gentle warm breeze as we headed back into the home.

With salads from sweetgreen and sweet fall-inspired bites from Chef Ari Taymor of Alma, we sipped turmeric lattes and chatted with one another, sneaking away to go decorate mini pumpkins. Just as the sun dropped down and the moon began to illuminate the sky, we gathered around the moon for an astrology-minded meditation session led by Natalia Benson.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/autumn-harvest-a-grit-girl-hike-with-astrologist-natalia-benson/feed/0Recap: Superdry Lays Down Roots in Los Angeles with Parker Dayhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/11/recap-superdry-lays-down-roots-in-los-angeles-with-parker-day/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/recap-superdry-lays-down-roots-in-los-angeles-with-parker-day/#respondFri, 03 Nov 2017 21:42:33 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100493British lifestyle brand Superdry has claimed their stake on the west coast with the arrival of their flagship store at Westfield Century City. Opening doors for a celebration on Wednesday, November 1st, the brand hosted an art show meets musical soiree. Commissioning a series of photographs by LA-based artist Parker Day, large photographs of Millie Brown, Hodgy, Ann-Marie Hoang, Josephine Lee, Bradley Soileau, and Roman Sipe were merchandised throughout the store, setting the brand’s usual elevated tone and aesthetic.

Featuring a performance from Hodgy of Odd Future, the evening set a precedent for Superdry’s new beginning in Los Angeles. The crowd was eclectic and tasteful, matching the brand’s creative direction. Take a peek at our favorite flicks from the night and swing past the store when you get a chance!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/11/recap-superdry-lays-down-roots-in-los-angeles-with-parker-day/feed/0“Devil’s in the Details” by Cherokee Neashttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/devils-in-the-details-by-cherokee-neas/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/devils-in-the-details-by-cherokee-neas/#respondFri, 20 Oct 2017 16:58:22 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100162It’s hot as hell outside, yet Halloween is just a breath away. This sort of dichotomy leaves us restless, looking for inspiration at hotel pools while wearing as little clothing as possible. Cherokee Neas captures this sort of boredom perfectly in this Godard-inspired story shot at the Standard West Hollywood. From Lolita to a bored devil caught during an Indian Summer, Cherokee accurately depicts what Halloween in Los Angeles feels like. It is equal parts cheeky and sexy while meeting us exactly where we are at this present day.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/devils-in-the-details-by-cherokee-neas/feed/0West Coast Dreaming: Lack of Color Crushes It with Their New California Inspired Collection (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/west-coast-dreaming-lack-of-color-crushes-it-with-their-new-california-inspired-collection-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/west-coast-dreaming-lack-of-color-crushes-it-with-their-new-california-inspired-collection-nsfw/#respondFri, 20 Oct 2017 17:02:14 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100052Lack Of Color has launched their new Spring/Summer 2018 Collection and it has us thanking the sun gods that summer is never really over in California. The Australian hat line has used our sunny shores as their newest inspiration, adding to their already timeless collection of hats that are poolside bound and backseat hair in the wind ready.

The new collection is filled with woven straw dome hats, palm leaf fedoras, slouch hats, sailor caps, and many more in oh-so-many cute colors. Our personal favorite is the Dominican Hat that is hand woven by artisans in the Dominican Republic. With draw string details and the ideal amount of coverage, it’s a must buy no matter the season.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/west-coast-dreaming-lack-of-color-crushes-it-with-their-new-california-inspired-collection-nsfw/feed/0“Finding Home” by Ashley Turner (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/finding-home-by-ashley-turner-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/finding-home-by-ashley-turner-nsfw/#respondWed, 18 Oct 2017 18:12:04 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100122She’s rugged yet refined. She’s traveled the world but always comes back to the tiny town of Ojai. It’s nostalgic and simple, with an Americana aura. Orange picking, hot springs, mornings spent on the porch, afternoons spent in the wilderness. She wraps her body in loose cloths from Ocean + Main as she eases into the slowness of life.

This editorial comes from Ashley Turner, a one woman show who did hair, make-up, and photos for this story. Taking to Ojai Rancho Inn and jaunting about the small town, she created a fairytale of a story with Kayla Kallager.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/finding-home-by-ashley-turner-nsfw/feed/0On Authenticity: A Candid Conversation about Self-Care, Pregnancy, and Growth with Alex Ellehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/on-authenticity-a-candid-conversation-about-self-care-pregnancy-and-growth-with-alex-elle/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/on-authenticity-a-candid-conversation-about-self-care-pregnancy-and-growth-with-alex-elle/#commentsTue, 17 Oct 2017 18:20:07 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100096There are a few key women who shift my perspective on what strength, humility, and self-love looks like. In today’s media-saturated era, the concept of transparency – especially on social media – has become increasingly rare, making candid creatives shining diamonds in the rough. Alex Elle happens to be one of these diamonds. Author, podcaster, entrepreneur, mother, and wife, she has created a personal brand that is equal parts beautiful and aspirational. She is in the third trimester of her pregnancy, recently released her latest title Neon Soul, and is heading into the third season of her podcast hey, girl.

Get to know Alex as we discuss self-care, pregnancy, balance, and boundaries.

Q&A

LF: Alex, what is on your mind at this very moment?
AE: Currently, all I can think about is the orange juice my midwife told me to stop drinking. Is that silly?

LF: Something that I, along with many others, admire about you is your vulnerability and willingness to be candid. How do you decide what you will share and what you keep private?
AE: First, I will say, that vulnerability has created space for me to lean into my humanness and experiences without shame or guilt. That alone creates my willingness to share certain things. Second, having boundaries keeps my sharing in check. A lot is kept private. The small amount that is shared is just enough. Sharing our stories creates community and knocks down walls in a way that silence and shame does not. That makes me proud. Extremely proud.

LF: What authors influence you the most?
AE: Ah! I am a book addict. My husband and I have so many. It’s actually the only thing that hurts to downsize in our efforts to live minimally. With that said, we have held on to our favorites. They’re on display and ready to be picked up by guests who visit. For me, I adore Paulo Coelho, Mary Oliver, Maya Angelou, bell hooks, Sharon Salzberg, Brene Brown. They all resonate with me in a way that’s unmatched.

LF: In a recent interview with Mother Magazine, you said your first pregnancy was easy. What has this pregnancy brought to light for you?
AE: So, my first pregnancy was easy and also unplanned. I was 18 when I had my daughter and she is coming up on her 10th birthday. I met my husband when she was 5. When we decided we were ready to expand our family, it was shocking to find out that it wouldn’t be easy for us. We tried to conceive for two years and it was a challenge due to Male Factor Infertility (low sperm count and morphology) — a diagnosis that a lot of people do not speak up about. After a long and stressful battle, I am now approaching my 3rd trimester after lots of unsuccessful baby making sex, a natural pregnancy that ended in miscarriage, 8 failed rounds of IUI (artificial insemination) and one successful round of IVF (in vitro fertilization). It has been a very long road for us. But, I am thankful that we are on track to birth our rainbow baby. Fertility, infant and pregnancy loss, and male factor issues are swept under the rug way too often, leaving a lot of couples feeling isolated and ashamed. I am honored to be able to share my husband and I’s journey with others because these types of conversations open doors and build community. These types of stories give hope and release the sense of hopelessness. We are never alone in our struggles, ever.

LF: You’re quite fantastic about educating your followers on the importance of self-care. At what point in your life did you commit to a self-care ritual in your personal life?
AE: I became intentional about my self-care practice around 5 years ago. Something had to give! I wasn’t happy, I couldn’t focus, and everyone and everything came before my joy. Being worn out is no way to live, so I decided to shift. That shift looked like self-affirming letters to myself, which morphed into therapy and intense personal journaling. Ultimately, I dove into being present with myself. I took up yoga and meditation, I became a vegan (I am not one anymore), I spent time alone with my thoughts while learning that being alone does not always equal loneliness. I also reevaluated what I thought my purpose was. All of these things helped me find peace, balance, and home within myself. I forced myself to show up in a way that I could understand. When you’re busy with career building, motherhood, being partnered, on top of figuring it all out, things can become blurry. Self-care has been the pause I needed to stop, think, and open my eyes to a deeper meaning of being present in my life.

LF: What has been the most fulfilling moment of your career thus far?
AE: Writing books that people will have and read long after I leave this earth.

LF: How do you balance being a mama, wife, author, and entrepreneur all at once?
AE: I build boundaries and cater to myself as much as I can. This wasn’t easy to learn. It took a lot of practice and intention. Balance looks different for everyone, but I encourage others to find theirs and stick to it!

LF: What advice do you have for other young women juggling multiple roles in their lives?
AE: I wish I had someone tell me this: Take a step back. You don’t have to do it all at once. Pace yourself and be mindful about the moves you’re making.

LF: What plans do you have for yourself, your career, and your family in the next year?

AE: To get this baby earth-side.Season 3 of my podcast (hey, girl.)
Have my affirmation journal’s manuscript complete and turned into my publisher.
Resume teaching my self-care sessions.
Love on my husband and children the best I can. Time is fleeting; I plan to enjoy this life.

LF: How fast do you live?
AE: Turtle speed. Slow and easy living takes the cake for me.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/on-authenticity-a-candid-conversation-about-self-care-pregnancy-and-growth-with-alex-elle/feed/3A New Type of Reality: “Through You” is a Wonderful Union of VR, Performance Art and Experimental Filmhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/a-new-type-of-reality-through-you-is-a-wonderful-union-of-vr-performance-art-and-experimental-film/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/a-new-type-of-reality-through-you-is-a-wonderful-union-of-vr-performance-art-and-experimental-film/#respondThu, 19 Oct 2017 17:02:56 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100153Perhaps you’re familiar with virtual reality – you know, those headsets where you enter a digitally rendered alternate world. Oftentimes when we think of this concept, we envision technologically advanced jargon and visuals. German-born director and writer Saschka Unseld and filmmaker and dancer Lily Baldwin are changing this with the release of Through You. A gorgeous short film that blends dance, performance art, and elevated visual aesthetics, it is created to be viewed in its entirety in VR format.

The film is vibrant and sensual, exploring the concept of a love born, lived, burned and mourned. Dancers Joanna Kotze and Marni Thomas Wood, along with actor Amari Cheatom travel through time periods ranging from the 1970s to 2046 and beyond, exploring the question, “Can love be found again?” The result is heart-wrenching, emotional, and passionate.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/a-new-type-of-reality-through-you-is-a-wonderful-union-of-vr-performance-art-and-experimental-film/feed/0Sexual Healing: The Magic of Using Orgasm for Manifestationhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/09/sexual-healing-the-magic-of-using-orgasm-for-manifestation/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/sexual-healing-the-magic-of-using-orgasm-for-manifestation/#respondTue, 19 Sep 2017 17:08:13 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99558‘Sexual Healing’ is a monthly column written by Lauren Fleishman. Focusing on often overlooked and, at times, taboo sex topics, Lauren takes an explorative approach to the art of getting it on.

There’s a reason we like to fuck.

Sexual energy is one of, if not the most, powerful forces on our planet. Without it, none of us would be here right now. Much like the human experience, there’s something carnal yet mystical about the act. Conventional knowledge teaches us the mechanics. We know the names of our parts, we can feel the difference between fucking/having sex/making love and for the creatively advanced (or the pro porn watcher), we know various positions that keep it “fun.” But did you know that sex can be spiritual and orgasm, specifically, can be used to manifest?

Okay. Stop for a second. This is where I ask you to open your mind – and as much as you think you know about sex, just go with me. Truly a cynic at heart, I inwardly cringe every time I use the word manifest – it feels like some password to an annoying spiritual cult. I also laugh intrinsically at the idea of fucking yourself into manifestations including but not limited to common collective dreams such as fame, fortune, freedom or wealth. Don’t you have to also work for those things?

But the more I researched to this topic, the more I learned about ankh, sex transmutation, tantra and kundalini energy. The Egyptians used sexual energy to gain higher consciousness and to harness strength and vitality. And the Egyptians are smart af. They are the OG’s of well… Everything. I mean, they invented the pyramids, writing, black ink, the plough, the calendar, make-up, and clocks.

Little known fact: They also practiced Sex Magic.

“Sex Magic” is a spiritual practice that transmutes sexual desire into healing and allows the manifestation of tangible effects in the physical world. Napolean Hill’s self-help classic, Think and Grow Rich, dedicates an entire chapter called “Sex Transmutation” to this. The thought is that if we can pair sex transmutation with intent (focused thought), then we can become powerful enough to cultivate and channel sexual energy into the tangible physical things that we want. But how?

On a physical level, after you orgasm it activates the pleasure center of the brain releasing endorphins such as oxytocin, which we know makes us feel euphoric, boosts the immune system, and makes us feel bonded to our partner. The University of Groningen in the Neverlands did a study and found that during orgasm, numerous parts of the brain, including the Amygdala, temporarily shut down and/or function much less than normal. The Amygdala is the region of the brain responsible for emotional control, which from a more poetic perspective means that during an orgasm we’re in a state of surrender to the experience. In French, they call this, “La Petit Mort” which means, “the little death” in relation to the brief loss or weakening of consciousness after orgasm.

While those physical things are happening, on an energetic level, it is thought that during surrender to orgasm, the energetic body reaches a sort of receptivity. All energy channels (chakras or meridians) are fully open. What appears to be “a death” is really an alignment occurring between ego and identity, a blending of the physical (body) and the non-physical (mind and soul) aspects of you. So, orgasm = loss of aspects of consciousness = relief of suffering = temporary “enlightenment”.

What happens to our sexual energy after we orgasm?

Hindu, Egyptian and Tantra dogma believe that after orgasm, energy ordinarily moves up the spine and out the top of the head directly into the eighth chakra – which is two feet above your head, what yogis refer to as “your higher self.” The sexual energy – or the concentrated life-force energy – is then dissipated and lost into the ether. The concept is similar to discharging a battery into a ground wire. Once exiting the battery, the energy is no longer in the battery and so it is gone forever… Or until we are lost in the next cycle of lust, foreplay, sex, temporary enlightenment, bonding, separation – repeat, ad nauseam. If we extend the metaphor slightly, seeing mother earth as representing the female essence, it could be thought that our inefficient misuse of the sexual process is a reflection of our inefficient misuse of earth.

Egyptians believe that in order to improve upon an inefficient system, sexual energy and orgasms must be controlled in a circuit known as the “ankh”, which is an historically debated term, but for the purposes of this article, think of it as a symbol signifying a road map to guiding your sexual energy through your body into a more efficient use of thought, focus and energy – ala manifestation.

Like women living in a patriarchal society, perhaps sexuality is a bit misunderstood and misused. If you are willing to venture into the empirical to consider learning about ancient spiritual practices and modalities on your own, then here are some steps on how to perform sex magic alone or with a partner:

Pre-sex

1. Create a space where you are alone with your thoughts. Maybe it’s during your meditation time or if you don’t meditate, try and set aside an hour where you really tune in to your self. Light incense or a candle. Chill out in nature or do it during a bath. Be in a safe, quiet space that calms you. This is anytime pre-sex, alone time.

2. Set an intention. Do this out loud prior to sex with your partner or alone, silently to yourself if you don’t want to scare your partner by telling them that you’re doing “sex magic.” Reflect on what you’d like to create in your life – work, family, intimate relationship with yourself or with your partner.

Don’t give up if it’s not an immediate answer. Give yourself time to become clear. Ask yourself why you want these things, be honest with yourself and feel the feeling of how worthy you are of these desires and how good it will feel to receive.

During Sex:

3. Consciously breathe. Breath is your prana or life force. It’s the first thing you take when you are born and the last thing to go when you leave. Breath allows energy to flow effortlessly throughout your body and between partners. Breath assists in channeling your sexual energy in the sex magic process. If you are with your partner and your bodies are intertwined, breathe together in a synchronized way.

4. To raise your energy, breathe your energy from your sexual center (base of your spine) up to your crown center (top of the head) on the inhalation and back down and out again on the exhalation. Imagine a loop of circular energy flowing. Keep breathing while circulating your energy within yourself as well as joining the loop with your partner. To practice more in depth, become familiar with Kundalini breathing and Ankh rotation.

5. Allow orgasm energy to flow consciously. While riding the wave of orgasmic flow, call in your intention of what you’d like to create in your life. Stay in that flow as long as you like and can.

Voilà, there you have it. Sex magic!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/sexual-healing-the-magic-of-using-orgasm-for-manifestation/feed/0Midweek Meditations: Healing, Resources, and Support for Those Who Say #MeToohttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/midweek-meditations-healing-resources-and-support-for-those-who-say-metoo/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/midweek-meditations-healing-resources-and-support-for-those-who-say-metoo/#respondThu, 19 Oct 2017 17:24:16 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100141If you are unfamiliar with #MeToo, I am not quite sure what to say to you other than get out of the hole you’ve been living in. In support of the overwhelming number of womyn who are survivors of sexual assault, which is defined by any sort of unwanted physical contact – not only intercourse, I felt it necessary to compile share a woman’s experience, hope, and resources with our readers. I spoke to a dear friend, artist, activist, survivor and Live FAST contributor Olivia Shove.

Olivia has been sharing fantastic resources that are helpful for all walks of life on her Instagram this week. From stark statistics to pieces of her own story, Olivia has used social media to provide hope and help to those who have been personally affected by sexual assault, as well as men who do not know how to show up for womyn.

There have been thousands of female-identifying individuals recounting their experiences with sexual assault on social media this week, which has been both heartbreaking and infuriating. For some, this is their first time sharing these stories. For others, perhaps they haven’t shared their story, but are now looking at their own trauma from reading that of others. In hopes of providing a space for healing and resources, I chatted with Olivia about her own experience below. Please be mindful that there is mention of rape and childhood sexual abuse in the remainder of this article.

Q&A

LF: What is some advice you have for survivors?
OS: First and foremost, IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT! Even your poorest choices never justified such foul treatment, and it’s very likely that nothing you could have done would have changed the outcome as you are not responsible for anyone’s behavior but your own. No matter who your assailant was to you, what you were wearing, if you were intoxicated, or if you had previously agreed to something and later changed your mind… All factors aside, the one and only cause of rape is rapists. Don’t ever let anyone tell you differently.

You are worthy of healthy love in any and every form.

You are just as valuable now as you were the day you were born, and nothing anyone could do to you will ever change that. You have everything you’ve ever needed inside of yourself. The moment you realize that, your world will change.

Allow yourself to feel whatever it is you’re feeling. The burden of an assault can be catastrophic and soul crushing, but it is better to feel it in full when it’s present than to stuff it away for a rainy day; when it rains it pours, so soak in it now and let the sun warm you after.

One word, three syllables, repeat after me… boundaries. If you haven’t had any up until this point (don’t worry, I didn’t either), now is the time to create some. Only you get to decide how you want your body to be treated, how you want to be spoken to, and what you will and will not put up with from others. Not only are boundaries wildly attractive, they are vital to one’s self-preservation. We all have a breaking point. Figure out what you do and don’t want before you’re pushed over the edge.

It is 100% okay to ask for help.

No one expects you to heal from something like this on your own. Find one friend you trust and tell them your story. Find a therapist. Call a hotline. Buy a journal and release your pain on the pages. Do anything and everything you need to heal. It’s not a race, just take your time and be patient with yourself. There will be many more ups and downs ahead, but you’ll get there, I promise.

LF: What is the best way a loved one can show support for a survivor of sexual assault?

OS: This is tricky and something I am personally still figuring out. When I’m feeling really low, I naturally want to isolate. I shut everyone out and do my best to disappear. I have waves of trauma where the thought of being touched in any capacity makes me feel physically ill, and I can disassociate from my body quite easily. Even when I’m feeling closer to ‘normal,’ the last thing I ever want is special treatment or a spotlight on my pain. I don’t want to be treated like I am fragile, damaged, or weak. I don’t want a romantic partner to baby me or hesitate to be intimate with me for fear of hurting me more (I understand that fear, but it only makes it worse). At the end of the day, all I need from anyone who cares about me is to be treated as an equal, and to have my boundaries acknowledged and respected.

What I really don’t need is any more apologies.

LF: How can men show up and be allies in the face of rape culture?

OS:

Step one: LISTEN!

And I don’t mean sit there quietly while someone shares their story. I mean really, truly, hear what they are saying. Hear the pain in their voice. Listen to them through unbiased ears. Set your own singular experiences aside and do your very best to hear them out, without adding in any of your own perspective, because after all, this isn’t about you. Don’t question the validity of what they are saying. Believe that what they are telling you is the truth, even if it sounds so absurd you can’t wrap your mind around it.

Step two: Under no circumstances whatsoever is it at all acceptable to pull the “not all men” card.

That’s an instant block from me. ENOUGH MEN have committed these heinous acts that it is absolutely fair to make the generalization of just “men.” If your first instinct is to become defensive and try to fight those of us willing to bare our souls for your educational benefit, that is directly linked to your own internalized guilt. Whether or not you are physically guilty, we have all been socialized to be complicit, and that alone is a source of guilt. Take responsibility for the times when you have been complicit, and work to unlearn your conditioning.

Step three: Hold your friends accountable.

Anyone is capable of anything. Your favorite celebrity, the cool dude from that band you like, and yes, even your dearest friends are all absolutely capable of committing sexual assault. If a survivor comes forward and puts their assailant on blast, assume that they are telling the truth, because the vast majority of the time they are – and anyone who falsely accuses someone of assault is just as bad as assailants in my book because it makes it harder for the rest of us to be believed when it really does happen.

Step four: Check your privilege.

Recognize that as a man in this world, you are at the top of the food chain. Are you white? Then you are at the peak. The only way to even the scales? Those with the most privilege have to give up some to help out the rest of us. Yes, dude, I’m talking to you.

Step five: Stop telling womyn to be nice and understanding.

We don’t owe you shit. If someone has taken their time to inform you of an injustice, publicly or privately, the first words out of your mouth better not be “well that’s a bit harsh.” Not only is that a completely disrespectful and ignorant thing to say, it immediately invalidates their experience and proves that you weren’t actually listening. Oppressed people are entitled to feel and express their frustration however they see fit, and no, they don’t have to tone it down for you. You can suck it up. It is never the responsibility of the oppressed to educate the complicit. It is only the responsibility of the complicit to educate themselves. If you are lucky enough to come across an oppressed person willing to teach you, be nothing but gracious and grateful that they have done you such a favor.

Other important steps to becoming an ally:

– No means no. Stop trying after the first one.
– Consensual sex requires an enthusiastic “yes” from your partner, otherwise assume it’s a no. Make sure you and all of your guy friends understand this.
– Don’t talk over womyn. Don’t let other men talk over womyn. If you witness this happen, call them on it and let the womyn finish speaking.
– If a womyn tells you that something you’ve done hurt them in some way, don’t respond with, “No, you misunderstood…” or, “That’s your perception.” You hurt someone, unintentionally. Own up to it. Apologize. Listen. Don’t do it again.
– Rape jokes are not funny. At all. Ever. If you hear one, call that person out. If you make one, you’re a lowlife scumbag, no exceptions.
– Stop using the word “pussy” for anything other than cats or vaginas. Stop using it a slur. Vaginas and cats are fucking great and you know it.
– The way a womyn dresses is not insinuating anything. You like jeans and a t-shirt? She/they like mini-skirts and spaghetti straps. No one is getting dressed thinking about you.
– No one wants to see your penis, unless they explicitly ask to see it. No more dick pics.
– Pay womyn the same wage as men!

LF: What are some of the most important statistics about sexual assault that you’ve come across?

OS: There are so many and they are all horrific, but to get a glimpse…
– Every 98 seconds, someone in the US is sexually assaulted
– Officially 1 in 6 women will survive an attempted or completed rape, though likely more, this is only based on reported cases
– 99% of perpetrators of sexual violence walk free
– 57% of sexual violence perpetrators are white
– 82% of all juvenile assault survivors are female
– 90% of adult rape survivors are women
– 64% of trans people will experience sexual assault in their lifetime
– A person with a disability is TWICE as likely to be sexually assaulted than someone without a disability
– Native Americans are TWICE as likely to be sexually assaulted in their lifetime compared to all races
– About 3% of American men will experience sexual assault in their lifetime
(Sources are Huffington Post and RAINN)

LF: What were some resources that helped you the most in your recovery?
OS: I don’t know if this is the sort of thing one can ever be fully ‘recovered’ from, but I do know that I am only getting stronger as time goes by, and that I owe a great deal of my strength to the support I have received from friends and strangers alike. Sharing my pieces of my story with others, particularly other womyn, has helped me heal enormously; though more often than not when I share my story it turns out they have a similar one, and while it provides moments of closeness and solidarity, it breaks my heart to know that so many others have felt the same kind of life-altering pain I have, an experience I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. I have survived multiple accounts of sexual assault beginning at age 9, was later raped when I was 17, and assaulted more times than I can count on two hands just within the last 6 years. It took me 3 years after being raped to realize that it wasn’t my fault, and another year to report it to authorities. I wouldn’t have known that reporting was even an option for me if not for the help of a counselor at my university – thank you!

Probably the second most beneficial thing I’ve done during my recovery was reporting my rapist to authorities, 4 years after the fact.

There is no statute of limitations on when you can report a sexual assault of a minor in CA. While I chose not to press charges and go to court, I did file an official report, wrote my rapist a letter, and had him called in for questioning to read the letter in the presence of the detective on my case. My rapist did not know he was a rapist until I told him he was. Even then, he couldn’t call himself that name, though he did not deny my accusations. In my letter I reopened my wound and reviewed everything that happened that night, called him what he was, and told him that if he made any attempt at all to contact me, I would file for a restraining order. He still has his freedom, a job, and a social life, but I no longer have to carry the weight of what he did to me.

Another major component of my healing, and something I am still very much in the process of doing, is mourning for my younger selves. I have had to go back and apologize to my 9 year old self and remind her that no matter what she could have done differently, she was never responsible for the actions of others. I have had to go back and apologize to my 17 year old self and remind her that even her most careless decisions never warranted having her trust shattered and body violated. I continually scan through my memories and search for other moments where I’ve been taken advantage of or mistreated, and I have to have compassion for the girl I used to be, so that the woman I am becoming can be as resilient and self-respecting as possible.

A major realization that I made after reporting my rapist was that if I were not a white, cisgendered woman, I might not have been taken seriously by authorities. Even within my own oppression, I still hold privilege. This was a difficult understanding to come to, but it is incredibly important in the push for equality. The personal is political, but I cannot speak for all survivors. There will be moments of overlap, things all survivors can relate to, but ultimately my experience is still very limited as a result of my privilege.

If you are a survivor of sexual assault and are in need of resources, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/midweek-meditations-healing-resources-and-support-for-those-who-say-metoo/feed/0Lingerie Guide: “Into the Night” by Hopeless Lingeriehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/lingerie-guide-into-the-night-by-hopeless-lingerie/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/lingerie-guide-into-the-night-by-hopeless-lingerie/#respondMon, 16 Oct 2017 18:20:36 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100075Hopeless Lingerie has always captured our hearts for their gorgeous and intimate designs, their ultra soft and delicate fabrics, and their inclusive sizing for every made-to-order piece. It feels like an ideal alignment of stars to see La’Tecia Thomas rocking their pieces. A babe of all babes, La’Tecia is known for her massive Instagram following, fearless aura, and body positive ethos. She is captured by photographer Stephanie Cammarano and is wearing two new Hopeless sets. The result is a whirlwind of beauty and sex appeal.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/lingerie-guide-into-the-night-by-hopeless-lingerie/feed/0Live FAST Radio: Soft Serve 002 with Rae Wittehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-002-with-rae-witte/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-002-with-rae-witte/#respondMon, 09 Oct 2017 17:55:58 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99956Whether you put this on taking a lazy ride in the sun with the windows down or working on a rainy day, today’s playlist is relaxing and centering, perfect for those days when the buzz of the real world is just a little too loud. Even with records released throughout the last couple years from established artists like Childish Gambino and Everything But The Girl to virtually unheard of acts like Choker and Hanani, Live FAST Radio: Soft Serve 002 is going to put you on to new stuff from some of your faves and those that might become that for you.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/live-fast-radio-soft-serve-002-with-rae-witte/feed/0Tropico Photo Perfects the Feel Good Color Palettehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/tropico-photo-perfects-the-feel-good-color-palette/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/tropico-photo-perfects-the-feel-good-color-palette/#respondThu, 12 Oct 2017 18:16:02 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99980I’m art crushing hard on Tropico Photo, a creative duo consisting of Forrest Aguar and Michelle Norris. The Atlanta-based couple created this editorial on a recent jaunt to Mexico. With a love of bold colors and an attraction to interesting shapes and angular spaces, their aesthetic is quick to put you in a good mood. Their work makes me happy and there is always room for more of this at the table.

A pure joy comes from viewing these images, but also an interesting story. A hum of wandering and discovering, of the jewels and pink walls that might appear around any given corner. It is this intersection of travel and story telling with glorious eye candy that makes Tropico Photo’s work so dimensional. I don’t know about you but I’d follow this pair just about anywhere.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/tropico-photo-perfects-the-feel-good-color-palette/feed/0“Rouge” by Jennifer Bobéhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/like-an-ex-you-cant-get-over-by-jennifer-bobe/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/like-an-ex-you-cant-get-over-by-jennifer-bobe/#respondFri, 13 Oct 2017 20:08:10 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=100012Fall in Los Angeles is like an ex you’re still in love with. You anticipate their inevitable return. You even get dressed for it. Although it’s not the real thing, always a copy cat version, a replica you can’t recognize at first glance, it is something entirely its own. And although sometimes you end up drinking by yourself, there is always the consolation prize. At least you look good.

This series is shot by photographer Jennifer Bobé is filled with warm light, layered outfits, glamorous details, and Los Angeles street ways. The results leave us anxious in our seats to see more and slowly falling in love with model Natalie Ogg. In a homage to one of the best ways to celebrate fall in Los Angeles, gorgeous jackets to adorn a well-crafted outfit, Bobé reminds us we still get some of this season after all.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/like-an-ex-you-cant-get-over-by-jennifer-bobe/feed/0No One Does It Like You: Getting to Know Music Curator Smiles Davishttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/no-one-does-it-like-you-getting-to-know-music-curator-smiles-davis/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/no-one-does-it-like-you-getting-to-know-music-curator-smiles-davis/#respondFri, 06 Oct 2017 17:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99257Smiles Davis is the type of DJ that is best described as a mood curator – and a damn good one at that. Our first introduction was at our Avalon pool party, where she spun soul from the decades past and r&b from the present, creating an atmosphere that had everybody moving. Her aesthetic is otherworldly – she’s a natural beauty with a keen sense of taste. A shining gem in any room, Smiles is our newest dream girl. Get to know her below!

Q&A

LF: Hi Smiles! Welcome to Live FAST. The first wave of your career was marked by your achievements as a dancer. Can you describe your transition from dancing to dj-ing?

SD: Most of my days dancing were spent listening to various types of music, which helped me to decide what songs felt right to connect to through my choreography. I was inspired mostly by Afro rhythms and Caribbean sounds, even then. It was equally important to find a song that evoked the spirit of the movement. So in a way, I was curating the soundtrack to people’s experiences before I even began dj-ing. The transition was so beautiful it made it easy for me to hang up my ballet slippers. While I think about returning to dance all the time, I enjoy what I do so much now, the thought of returning to my past love doesn’t keep me up at night. It’s all art. As long as I can create, I’m happy.

LF: I imagine that, as with any career shift, there were obstacles that arose as you began dj-ing. What were they? How did you overcome them?

SD: Of course, my first manager had a ton of resources to elevate me quickly, but he was a complete and utter bulldog who thought I could handle a lot of pressure considering my advanced dancer background. ‘You studied at Alvin Ailey, you can do anything!’ was sort of his mentality. So, he’d throw me into situations that demanded a lot out of me. For such a newbie to the sport, I’d become so overwhelmed that my stress level was perpetually through the roof. I think my peers picked up on that kind of tension and judged me for it, like ‘Why is she opening up for Erykah Badu and Questlove, she hasn’t earned her wings yet?’ Luckily my saving grace was that I was sincerely a nice person with impeccable music selections. I didn’t always have the best DJ etiquette but people can forgive that if you’re talented.

LF: When was the first time you fell in love with music?

SD: Alvin Ailey taught me so much about love, life, responsibility and music. In every class room there was either an assigned percussionist or a pianist. One of the percussionists in my Horton class was this beautiful black man with dreads and ridiculously toned arms. He would drum so hard and passionately on those congas, his dreads would begin to sway and beads of sweat would begin to drip down his body. If you know anything about Horton style of modern dance, you know how physical it is, how much muscle, strength and focus it takes to manage looking good doing it. I’d watch him beat those drums and lose myself in it so much so that I would lose myself in the movements. He made it easier for me and I’m sure I to him. It was this beautiful give and take and exchange of energies. I was 19 and falling in love with myself, him and the music.

LF: Dj-ing is a bit like being a mood curator. How do you align yourself with the energy of an event? Are there any tricks you have when the crowd seems tired or dull?

SD: I recently started referring to myself as a curator, that’s interesting that you’d ask me that. In the past, whenever someone asked me what I did for a living, my response would be, ‘I’m a DJ.’ It sounds so limiting and I do so much more than that. Because if I’m not having fun, no one in the room is having fun. I’ll go to the bar so fast and grab a drink to elevate my mood if I need to, as that is good and making just about anyone have fun. Dancing behind my booth helps elevate the energy in the room as does coming from behind my booth to have a dance in the crowd with my fans. That’s a new thing I recently started doing and it works wonders!

LF: Describe a surreal moment you’ve encountered as a DJ.

SD: Ahh there’s been so many! Hard to narrow it down to just one. I did just play Afropunk Brooklyn. That was pretty surreal. I’d been asking the universe to bless me with more festival gigs. About 6 months after seriously focusing on it, I got myself on a bill. Nothing in the world can replace the high from being in front of so many people just out to have a marvelous time. I’ve had so much amazing feedback from my 2 sets and even managed to be featured on the official Afropunk IG page with an imaged photographed by Hassan Hajjaj, one of my all time favorite artists. I look forward to entering the festival world and nourishing the seeds I’ve just planted.

LF: How do you define love?

SD: What a loaded question. My inclination is to say something dramatic and overly poetic but instead I’ll just say that I’m currently very much in love. That Tom Cruise jumping on couches kind of love. I’m completely vulnerable to him. It’s a bit like an obsession. He makes my heart palpitate and my palms sweat even after almost 2 years of dating. I measure my love for him by the amount of separation anxiety I feel when away from him, which is all consuming, close to nauseating. And while I don’t like to gossip, he’s at the forefront of my thoughts so much I can’t help but gush to friends I will totally have his babies.

SD: I’m so inspired by the music of Frank Ocean and Drake. No one penetrates culture like the 2 of them. Frank made me cry at FYF. I haven’t been that touched by a live performance in who knows how long. I felt him so much and felt the sense of connectivity he brought out in everyone else around me. The world needs more of that right now. Drake just knows what the people want. He keeps it fun and as a DJ that is important to me. He makes it easy for me to do my job. He catches flack for not being Caribbean or African but making Caribbean/Afro sounding music. But, I personally think he’s elevating music from those regions in a way that’s never been seen before. Afro pop is officially a thing globally!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/no-one-does-it-like-you-getting-to-know-music-curator-smiles-davis/feed/0Why I Come Out Every Day: Notes on National Coming Out Dayhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/why-i-come-out-every-day-notes-on-national-coming-out-day/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/why-i-come-out-every-day-notes-on-national-coming-out-day/#respondThu, 12 Oct 2017 00:46:52 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99998Today is National Coming Out Day, but I came out for the first time in mid-January ten years ago, long before I knew this holiday even existed. It was terrifying, exhilarating, grueling, freeing, and changed the scope and shape of my life as I have traveled through the last decade.

But what they don’t tell you is that coming out is not a one time thing, and though there is now a day to honor this deeply transformational experience, it does not stay in the past as a singular event. For many of us who don’t fit the visual “gay stereotype” (I certainly hop – and have seen – that this is changing), and in a world where heterosexuality is still the default assumption, we have to come out over and over and over – each new job, each new stranger met at a bar or party or class, each time traveling with a significant other and having to explain to hotel front desks, Airbnb hosts, and tour guides that, “No, we are not just friends.”

I come out almost every day. Each time I meet a new person becomes a delicate dance between neutrality and living and speaking my truth; I am careful not to seem like I am over-sharing too soon or declaring something unnecessary, but at the same time I strategize when to casually mention a girlfriend as easily as men do. And each time I tell a new boss or friend, there’s a rush of nerves and a loaded pause while I wait, breathlessly, and gauge the reaction. It has become much easier over the years, and the responses have become increasingly that of acceptance, if not outright nonchalance (which is even better in some ways). Each time I breathe a sigh of relief. And in the moments where I am met with hostility or disbelief or defensiveness, I do my best to educate and engage, be patient and willing to answer even the most secret questions, and see to it that least one mind has been opened or altered.

And look how the world has changed. We don’t often see our particular thread in the fabric of history as it unfolds, but I would be willing to bet that each one of my countless, nervous-yet-brave, coming-out moments over the last ten years has made a small but significant dent in the enormous shift in legal and social acceptance in this country, this world. Because I’m not alone. There are thousands, millions, of others like me. When combined together, our moments have become movements, our voices have become visions, and being heard has made history.

We talk a lot about pride. People ask us now why pride is still needed in a world that has come around so much, in a nation where marriage equality is now the law of the land. Aside from the fact that there are still so many of us living in fear, inequality, and environments of hate and judgement, we need pride because it is what gives us the bravery to come out in the first place. To have those scary, awkward conversations with strangers. To turn the current of history one pebble at a time. I know how frightening it is; I know how badly it can go. I have seen firsthand how someone’s bravery has made him or her an outcast having to fight every day for acceptance (and winning it back). I have seen how familial ties are tested and strained, how hard it is to undo the Gordian knot of beliefs and assumptions that make up the mindset of the most unmovable among us, and how each time we come out we unravel a piece of that tangled, complicated attitude and push towards understanding and acceptance. We need pride because it is where we draw our strength, our courage, and our resolve.

So I’m proud of myself for coming out all of those times. And I’m proud of everyone in my community who have done the same, who have persevered and cried and prayed and struggled through so much. Today we celebrate national coming out day, but every gay, bi, and trans person will tell you that it’s not just one day – it is every day for the rest of our lives. And it is worth it.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/why-i-come-out-every-day-notes-on-national-coming-out-day/feed/0“Pour Yourself into Art” by Katy Pritchett (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/pour-yourself-into-art-by-katy-pritchett/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/pour-yourself-into-art-by-katy-pritchett/#respondTue, 10 Oct 2017 20:05:24 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99903Pour yourself into the nearest art form. Drink from it, recycle it out, make something new. Make anything, make everything, we are all doing what we can right now. Make art of your hair, paint a picture with your dinner, trim your topiaries into dolphins. Decorate the world with little pearls of goodness so that we all might find a little solace in it.

Bodysuit by Hanky Panky, Shorts by Comme de Garçon, Vintage Shirt

This stunning editorial from photographer Katy Prichett is precisely the sort thing we speak of. It puts some beauty out into the world, every aspect is so meticulously designed – from the hair to the lips, to the tuck of her blouse. These images come from an entire talented team working together to be sure that we have something to look at, to get lost in, and to come out ready to make something ourselves.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/pour-yourself-into-art-by-katy-pritchett/feed/0Gone Barre Crawling: A Day of Fitness Bliss with Athletic Accessories Brand Pointe Studiohttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/gone-barre-crawling-a-day-of-fitness-bliss-with-athletic-accessories-brand-pointe-studio/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/gone-barre-crawling-a-day-of-fitness-bliss-with-athletic-accessories-brand-pointe-studio/#respondWed, 04 Oct 2017 20:45:20 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99834When conceptualizing events for our beloved brand partners, we always begin with dreaming up an idyllic experience. If we could go anywhere with the affiliated brand, where would we go? When posed this question for Pointe Studio in support of their Sanity not Vanity campaign, the opportunities were endless but the top choice was obvious: curate a crew of interesting personalities and hit various fitness studios across the city. Opting to round up a crew of intriguing women who we know are dedicated to health and wellness in their personal life and selecting a myriad of intriguing fitness classes, we hit the city in a party bus (I mean, we were pretty dedicated to the theme!) for a day of adventure.

Tantris Yoga. Body by Markee. SoulCycle. Trilogy Barre at Equinox. It was a very full day. Meeting up at Tantris Yoga, we mixed and mingled and shimmied ourselves into our official Barre Crawl uniforms – aka a slew of two piece sets from Year of Ours. We ducked into one of their expansive, jewel-toned heated rooms for thirty minutes of meditation. Some of us were blissed out, others (okay, me) were struggling with their wandering mind. All was forgotten each moment I brought myself back to the present moment: Relaxed, in a gorgeous studio nestled away on the edge where Beverly Hills kisses West Hollywood.

Post-meditation, we hit a nearby park for a HIIT workout with Hollywood trainer Body by Markee. Engaging in a serious of high intensity sequences using our own body weight, we got our first sweat of the day in. Markee doesn’t mess around and while the workout was short – it was intense.

I suppose I should interject a note about our party bus. Imagine a spa-like oasis meets Saturday night’s turn up and that’s how we designed our party bus interior. Art-forward cushions and fluffy throws from Society6 lined the seats, creating a homey and cute atmosphere. Scented with eucalyptus and stocked with apothecary goods from Milk Makeup, Salt & Stone, Juniper Ridge, CRUDE Personal Care, and more, it functioned as our mode of transportation and our private refresh station. We had snacks on snacks on snacks and, of course, copious amounts of LIFEWTR. One of our guest’s favorite touches was the stacks of Eka yoga mats we had merchandised in every corner of the bus, hosting a myriad of colors for everyone to choose from.

Lunch was served at sweetgreen’s pristine Hollywood location. Warm light filled every inch of the restaurant while we munched on salads and took our Care/Of vitamins. As soon as we finished eating, it was time to recharge before our evening classes.

Taking to Next Health, we stripped down to our skivvies for some cryotherapy and B12 shots. Next Health is a certain type of paradise – it is crisp, clean, and mildly clinical. Yet, it holds many different cutting-edge services – I mean, I went into a below freezing chamber and listened to Kendrick Lamar for 3 minutes and somehow walked out feeling like I was on cloud 9. How do they do that? I’m not sure, but I really urge you to go try it out for yourself.

SoulCycle, the myth, the legend, the glorious place where you cycle in the dark while doing choreography on the bike. I had forgotten how hard SoulCycle was until I was dripping sweat and tapping it back while listening to Bodak Yellow. It is a beautiful sort of pain – the kind where your legs and lungs burn but you’re having so much fun, it just starts to feel good after awhile. The Beverly Hills Studio is gorgeous and filled with the scent of citrus, elevating the experience from hard as hell to luxuriously intense.

Okay, by this time, we’re all starting to fade. It’s 6pm and we’re in our last class of the day – Equinox’s signature Trilogy Barre class. Taught by the master trainer Nicole De Anda, this class is completely unique in structure, pace, and equipment used, making it one of the most effective and enjoyable barre classes I’ve ever taken. And, since it is Equinox and all, the damp eucalyptus towels were a luxe touch that made me feel absolutely spoiled, despite the difficult choreography.

How does one end such a momentous day? With mini-massages, juice, and poke bowls. I suppose this is truly what sets Equinox apart from other health and wellness destinations. Their holistic approach to wellness really does mean that one moment, you can be lifting, tucking, and feeling the burn and then the next, you may be receiving an exquisite chair massage. We laughed over bowls from Sweetfin and sipped on Clover Juice while others took a peek in their gift bags, noting how cute Society6’s “Radical Female” tote is and ducking into the locker room to try out all the toiletries. An event that left us feeling physically exhausted but emotionally nourished, we basked in the beauty of working hard to feel good. When the clock struck 8pm, we embraced and were on our way.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/gone-barre-crawling-a-day-of-fitness-bliss-with-athletic-accessories-brand-pointe-studio/feed/0“Come Home Again” by Emmet Green (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/come-home-again-by-emmet-green-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/come-home-again-by-emmet-green-nsfw/#respondThu, 05 Oct 2017 19:48:38 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99753You tell me blue is in the distance, blue is longing, blue is something that is neither here nor there. The color doesn’t travel to the sun, it gets lost and dissipated like you. You’re my color blue. I spent so many years thinking you were going to come home, I built a house around it. And now there you are, out in the world and seeing it for yourself. Me against the backdrop of everything blue. When you’re done, come on home. I’ll leave the door open for you.

If waiting were an art, we’ve made a life of art. Model Georgia Jones is captured in Glebe, Australia by Emmet Green. There is nothing longing about her waiting, it’s matter of fact, it’s pure. We live our lives waiting for something to come, something to end, no matter how present of a kind of person we are. And one can only strive to look as lovely and relaxed as she does here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/come-home-again-by-emmet-green-nsfw/feed/0Crème de la Crème: Equinox’s Trilogy Barre Class is One of a Kindhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/creme-de-la-creme-equinoxs-trilogy-barre-class-is-one-of-a-kind/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/creme-de-la-creme-equinoxs-trilogy-barre-class-is-one-of-a-kind/#respondMon, 09 Oct 2017 18:43:24 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99953I’ll be the first to admit it that it took me awhile to get used to the idea of barre classes. I’m not the type for feminine and peppy workouts – I would rather sweat really hard, maybe get yelled at a bit, and continue on about my day an hour later. Tucking and lifting my “seat” up an inch and down an inch didn’t really vibe with me until I began doing the moves correctly and realized how good it burns. This feeling of acceptance was multiplied upon taking Equinox’s Trilogy Barre class.

We were blessed to have the Trilogy Barre Master Trainer Nicole De Anda teach us a class during our Pointe Studio Barre Crawl. The class is known as being particularly unique due to the triple barre set-up and band incorporation. The three barres plus the bands makes for an unlimited amount of variables that will continually surprise and challenge the body – meaning you can make this workout your main squeeze and not have to worry about plateauing.

While the class is quite difficult – challenging your balance, strength, and agility all at once – it is also relaxing. The music is good, but not overpowering. Nicole’s teaching style is upbeat and encouraging, but not overly peppy. There’s a damp eucalyptus towel placed at the edge of your mat from the beginning of class, making those quick breaks to catch your breath feel ultra luxurious. The studio at the Hollywood Equinox is drenched in light and super clean. When the class finished, my body felt worked but my mind felt relaxed and recharged – which is saying a lot, considering this was our third and final workout of the day.

I must say – I’ve tried four different barre studios (ahem, I will not name names), but none of them were as well-rounded, difficult, and relaxing as Equinox’s Trilogy Barre. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. Oh, and make sure you come correct and pick up some cute barre socks here!

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/creme-de-la-creme-equinoxs-trilogy-barre-class-is-one-of-a-kind/feed/0Mabel Vicentef’s Single Line Drawings will Stun you With Their Powerful Simplicityhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/09/mabel-vicentefs-single-line-drawings-will-stun-you-with-their-powerful-simplicity/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/mabel-vicentefs-single-line-drawings-will-stun-you-with-their-powerful-simplicity/#respondMon, 25 Sep 2017 18:37:55 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99664There is nothing simple about a single line when rendered like this. If anything, the power of Mabel Vicentef’s drawings are amplified by the fact that she never lifts her pencil from the page and she never stops while creating one of these pieces. The movement is constant. It’s a fluid motion, filled with intention, and appears as if her hand is guided by that thing we cannot touch our tongues to, the certain something of an artist. Each one has a dose of heart and passion in it, a stunning kind of simplicity that isn’t simple at all.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/mabel-vicentefs-single-line-drawings-will-stun-you-with-their-powerful-simplicity/feed/0“Play Make Believe” by Taylor Rainbolthttp://livefastmag.com/2017/10/play-make-believe-by-taylor-rainbolt/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/play-make-believe-by-taylor-rainbolt/#respondTue, 03 Oct 2017 17:01:24 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99771A part of what makes life so much fun is translating into adulthood that which lit our imagination on fire as children. To lose yourself in a character, to play dress up and make believe all afternoon, to go glamour cowgirl under the bright lights of a studio session.

This artfully directed shoot with photographer Taylor Rainbolt and stylist Janae Kennedy reminds us that a little fun can go a long way and that we will never outgrow the color pink. One can only hope that a solid soundtrack of Dolly Parton was playing in the background for the entire shoot.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/10/play-make-believe-by-taylor-rainbolt/feed/0“I Didn’t Ask For This: A Lifetime Of D*** Pics” Captures the Invasive Nature of Unwanted Sextshttp://livefastmag.com/2017/09/i-didnt-ask-for-this-a-lifetime-of-dick-pics-captures-the-invasive-nature-of-unwanted-sexts/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/i-didnt-ask-for-this-a-lifetime-of-dick-pics-captures-the-invasive-nature-of-unwanted-sexts/#respondWed, 27 Sep 2017 18:36:34 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99717Women are sick and tired of receiving unwanted dick pics (obviously), so Whitney Bell found it fit to channel this frustration into a traveling anti-harassment gallery show. With the third installment, I Didn’t Ask For This: A Lifetime of Dick Pics, taking place October 6th and 7th, Bell takes the invasive perversion of this form of digital sexual harassment and channels it into action. A highly successful show, there’s been over 4,500 attendees and over $5,000 raised for The Center for Reproductive Rights and Happy Period so far.

This event functions as a full-fledged feminist education weekend. In addition to the gallery featuring 150+ unsolicited dick picks and the aggressive texts that accompany them hung inside a 3,500 square foot recreation of a woman’s home, there is a myriad of activations taking place throughout the weekend. A key aspect of the weekend that you won’t want to miss is a day full of educational panels from the likes of Shirely Manson (Front woman of Garbarge), Emily Sears (model and anti-harassment activist), Ericka Hart (Speaker, Activist, Sex Educator), Anna Del Gaizo (Senior Editor at Playboy), and more.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/i-didnt-ask-for-this-a-lifetime-of-dick-pics-captures-the-invasive-nature-of-unwanted-sexts/feed/0Maggie West’s Latest Body of Work for Slutwalk is Gorgeous, Powerful, and Moving (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/maggie-wests-latest-body-of-work-for-slutwalk-is-gorgeous-powerful-and-moving-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/maggie-wests-latest-body-of-work-for-slutwalk-is-gorgeous-powerful-and-moving-nsfw/#respondThu, 28 Sep 2017 19:16:55 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99695Maggie West has a way of capturing sexuality in neon-colored hues. Removing stigma and instead offering appreciation, her work sees diverse groups of people through a rare lens. Her latest body of work, 98, is an installation that takes 40 nude portraits of diverse women to celebrate women’s right to sexual expression and protest sexual harassment and assault. The title of the piece is taken from a Department of Justice statistic that states every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. The completed installation will slightly resemble an outdoor stained glass ceiling, evoking nostalgic memories of saintly women depicted in churches. This installation is located in the center of Pershing Square in Downtown Los Angeles and will be unveiled during Amber Rose’s Slutwalk on Sunday, October 1st.

“Slutwalk is a celebration of female sexuality. Every year women gather at the festival to celebrate their bodies, protest gender inequality and support one another.

Throughout history, most women depicted in stained glass artwork are saints. The majority of these saints were virgins, many of whom suffered gruesome violent deaths rather than lose their “purity.” The Catholic church revered these women as much for their commitment to maintaining their virginity as their commitment to God.

Rather than be celebrated for their purity, this piece, titled 98, pays tribute women’s freedom to sexually express themselves and protest sexual violence. The title, 98, is taken from a Department Of Justice statistic that says ever 98 seconds an American is sexually assaulted.

Diversity is a very important part of this project. All women (including queer women, trans women, sex workers, etc) have experienced the type of harassment, violence and discrimination Slutwalk was designed to protest. This installation brings together women of various backgrounds, ethnicities, and sexual orientations to send a message about a woman’s right to sexual expression without experiencing threats or violence.” – Maggie West, 98 Artist Statement

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/maggie-wests-latest-body-of-work-for-slutwalk-is-gorgeous-powerful-and-moving-nsfw/feed/0These Black and White Nude Portraits in 8th Arrondissement of Paris are Timeless Classics (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/these-black-and-white-nude-portraits-in-8th-arrondissement-of-paris-are-timeless-classics-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/these-black-and-white-nude-portraits-in-8th-arrondissement-of-paris-are-timeless-classics-nsfw/#respondFri, 29 Sep 2017 18:16:34 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99673Naked is timeless. Women have been posing unadorned for art for centuries. And there is something about this collection of nude portraits that feel unequivocally French – the wallpaper, the slope of her breast, the lighting. There is a softness to the images as the light leaks in, a precision to every picture taken. You can feel the care in each of them.

The model, Dovile, and photographer, International Decoy, crafted every shot like a painting – the right light, the angle, the way her hands rest on one another are all artfully designed. 25 frames shot on a medium format camera over a five hour period at a small hotel in the 8th Arrondissement of Paris. No makeup artist, no stylist, no one else in the room. The result is a kind of timeless image that might be drawn from a long forgotten top drawer.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/these-black-and-white-nude-portraits-in-8th-arrondissement-of-paris-are-timeless-classics-nsfw/feed/0D*Face’s Latest Show “Happy Never Ending” Opens at Corey Helford Galleryhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/09/dfaces-latest-show-happy-never-ending-opens-at-corey-helford-gallery/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/dfaces-latest-show-happy-never-ending-opens-at-corey-helford-gallery/#respondFri, 22 Sep 2017 20:32:22 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99647]]>D*Face makes us yearn for a tragic romance from years past. The world renowned UK-based multimedia street artist is best known for his large scale murals that use a series of dysfunctional characters to prompt spectators to carefully consider their pop-culture infused surroundings.

In his latest show, “Happy Never Ending,” he explores the concept of tragedy of loss, both in romantic and fatal encounters. When asked to elaborate on this new body of work, D*Face shares, “This work is about the tragedy of losing someone you love. Not just in the physical sense of death, but also in the metaphorical way that romance has become such an artificial thing in recent years. Courtship used to be a craft, something careful and considered; marriage was an everlasting bond of trust and commitment. Today though, romance is comparable to a shop bought commodity – instantly attainable at the touch of a button or swipe of a screen. In a constant search for someone or something better, people treat others as if they were mere objects – infinitely attainable and instantly disposable.”

As always, his influence from pop-masters like Roy Lichtenstein is prevalent in every single piece and is certain to linger in your mind long after you’ve viewed the show.

Join us at the opening reception for “Happy Never Ending” this Saturday, September 23rd from 7 to 11pm in Gallery 1 at Corey Helford Gallery. Can’t make it? The show will be on view and open to the public through October 21st.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/dfaces-latest-show-happy-never-ending-opens-at-corey-helford-gallery/feed/0Feeling Cheeky: Amy Hood’s Erotic Play Cards are Fun, Sexy, and Luxe (NSFW)http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/feeling-cheeky-amy-hoods-erotic-play-cards-are-fun-sexy-and-luxe-nsfw/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/feeling-cheeky-amy-hoods-erotic-play-cards-are-fun-sexy-and-luxe-nsfw/#respondThu, 21 Sep 2017 19:26:47 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99622Amy Hood is a visionary when it comes to the marriage of nostalgia and sex appeal. Consistently piquing our interests and stimulating the mind with her projects from Viscous Publications, we knew we were in for a treat with her latest release.

Enter Hood’s set of JOUER! erotic playing cards. We’re tantalized by fourteen scantily-clad beauties lining the cards. With a psychedelic 70’s inspired design formatted on the backside of each french casino grade Italian linen card, these make the perfect addition to your coffee table or bedside play drawer. Yum. Purchase yours here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/feeling-cheeky-amy-hoods-erotic-play-cards-are-fun-sexy-and-luxe-nsfw/feed/0Project Backboard Paints Long Lost Basketball Courts With Hopehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/09/project-backboard-paints-long-lost-basketball-courts-with-hope/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/project-backboard-paints-long-lost-basketball-courts-with-hope/#respondThu, 21 Sep 2017 18:43:15 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99614Basketball courts function as a space to congregate, shoot the shit, and drop some stress – especially in “urban” neighborhoods. However, once a basketball court becomes neglected and the lines on the court fade into the asphalt, it is often forgotten – the community thus finds alternative outlets or simply hangs up their days of hooping.

Nick Dahlen, Lewis-Davis Park, Memphis, TN. Photo by Daniel Peterson.

Project Backboard doesn’t believe in neglected basketball courts. Taking to painting abandoned basketball courts in gorgeous splashes of color breathes new life into the neighborhood while reviving the court and making it playable once again. From the Kinloch neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri to Pierotti Park in Memphis, Tennessee, these courts receive a color treatment that breathes life, hope, and connection into the communities. For more from Project Backboard, visit here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/project-backboard-paints-long-lost-basketball-courts-with-hope/feed/0With Her Own Hands: She Bends Highlights 29 Female Neon Artistshttp://livefastmag.com/2017/09/with-her-own-hands-she-bends-highlights-29-female-neon-artists/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/with-her-own-hands-she-bends-highlights-29-female-neon-artists/#respondTue, 19 Sep 2017 17:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99564The Museum of Neon Art recently debuted She Bends: Women in Neon, the largest and most inclusive all-female neon exhibition… Ever. Curated by neon artist Meryl Pataky, She Bends features 29 artists who use neon as their primary medium, despite being in the midst of a primarily male-dominated trade. Each work is intimate, with the woman either bending the tubes herself or installing and assembling with her own hands. With a myriad of backgrounds – some of the featured artists have their own neon shops or work in one while others teach the craft, this show shines light on an often overlooked demographic within the art world.

Megan Stelljes

Eva DeHaan

Pushing back against the notion that neon is solely a man’s field, She Bends allows us to appreciate a group of women who craft exquisite pieces with their own two hands. Featured artists include Kate Hush, Eva De Haan, Megan Stelljes, Meryl Pataky, Olivia Steele, and more, this exhibition is not to be missed. On display at Glendale’s Museum of Neon Art from now until February 11th, 2018.

Emma Hart

Kate Hush

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/with-her-own-hands-she-bends-highlights-29-female-neon-artists/feed/0Summer’s Never Quite Over: Catherine Fulmer Collection Heats Up our FW17 Wardrobehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/09/summers-never-quite-over-catherine-fulmer-collection-heats-up-our-fw17-wardrobe/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/summers-never-quite-over-catherine-fulmer-collection-heats-up-our-fw17-wardrobe/#respondWed, 20 Sep 2017 15:00:00 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99563Catherine Fulmer’s take on FW 17 is hot hot hot – but who expected anything less? Her latest, shot by Derek Perlman, features a bevy of babes kicking it during one of Los Angeles’ signature Indian Summers. Donning some of Fulmer’s most iconic pieces – ahem, peach-hued satin trousers – in the hot September sun, each look reminds us of something Penny Lane would rock in a heartbeat.

We didn’t expect Autumn to be heating up this year, but we’ll consider it a pleasant surprise. Take a peek at our favorite looks below and shop Catherine Fulmer’s latest here.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/summers-never-quite-over-catherine-fulmer-collection-heats-up-our-fw17-wardrobe/feed/0A FAST Guide to Slowing Down, Sedona Stylehttp://livefastmag.com/2017/09/a-fast-guide-to-slowing-down-sedona-style/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/a-fast-guide-to-slowing-down-sedona-style/#respondFri, 15 Sep 2017 18:12:38 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=97589Almost perfectly center in our neighboring state sits a town often referred to as ‘The Vortex.’ Famous for its breathtaking views, infamous orange and green landscapes, and crystal shops adorned with purple aliens, Sedona, Arizona is the desert oasis you’ve been dreaming of.

Sedona is a spicy place. Perhaps it’s the dry, desert heat, the extraterrestrial energy, or the divide of four Native American nations – or maybe it has something to do with being surrounded by enormous, red rock walls on all sides – but spend enough time there and you’ll see what I mean. Prepare for whatever mood you’re in to be amplified. If you’re feeling good you’ll be feeling great, but if you’re not so good then you may want to warn everyone to stay out of your way. If you can deal with the wide-swinging pendulum of temperatures and emotions, then you’re in for something sweet, because there truly is nowhere else like this southwestern escape.

Kick Your Own Ass

If there is one thing that you absolutely need to do in Sedona, it’s hiking. The scenery is so striking that anywhere you end up going will be impressive, but there are some hikes that are particularly alluring, and very much worth the butt-whoopin’ you will receive doing them.

Despite the name, a massive rock arch known as Devil’s Bridge provides some truly ethereal views. After a relatively mellow walk in followed by a steep climb, standing on top of the natural wonder surrounded by giants is a humbling reminder of our size and relative individual importance, in the best way possible. Though it is one of the more popular sites to see, it is absolutely worth the effort.

If you’re like me and you prefer your outdoor experiences uninterrupted by other humans, I recommend going for a walk at Sugarloaf Trail or the neighboring Teacup Trail. Towering above a quiet neighborhood, the trails take you up onto ‘Coffee Pot Rock’ with a breathtaking view of the domelike ‘Sugarloaf Mountain,’ and ‘Thunder Mountain,’ the rock formation that inspired the Disneyland ride.

Whether you’re going to a notorious landmark or just climbing around on the celestial, orange mountains, you’re set to see something astonishing. Take a peek at the list here for even more places to explore.

Strip ‘n’ Dip

Contrary to popular belief, the desert is not nearly as dry and desolate as one might imagine, and there is water on Mars. Sedona can get HOT and as a result you are going to want to get wet, often. If you’re visiting in the spring or summer, I recommend practicing what I like to call the ‘strip n dip’ – it’s simple, just remove your clothing and jump in any and every body of water you can find.

Right off highway 179 heading south is a spot referred to as the Windtunnel Caves, overlooking Oak Creek, which runs through all of Sedona. Climb through the caves and go for a swim in the creek for a break from reality.

Even further south you will find Wet Beaver Creek. While there are some more secluded nooks to hide out along the creek, ‘The Crack’ is a highly rated spot for swimming as well as cliff jumping.

Lastly is my favorite swim hole and a spot I’m still not positive I want to share, but it’s not marked on a map so if you can find it on your own then fair’s fair. Right in the heart of Sedona just down from Brewer Road is a local secret perfect for those of us with lizard-like temperaments who enjoy basking in the sun on warm rocks and taking a refreshing dip in some icy water.

Nothin’ but the Good Stuff

Though it’s still a part of the West, Sedona is encroaching on Southern territory, as made evident by the abundance of heartier dining options. However, Sedona also has a growing holistic health community, and as your local vegan health-nerd, I’ve found the spots that cater to every dietary need.

Have breakfast at Indian Gardens, about 10 minutes up highway 89 towards Flagstaff. Grab a coffee and their fancy avocado toast and relax in their shaded patio out back.

Whatever you do, wherever you go, you need to eat tamales at Tamaliza Café. Owned by a family of Mexican immigrants, the shoe-box sized restaurant is serving up authentic tamales made with the kind of love you can taste, and they cater to vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike!

Mind Open, Heart Full

Sedona is a spiritual place in every sense of the word. Whether you consider yourself to be a spiritually guided person or not, it is important to be aware that Sedona is home to many dogmas, religious practices, cultures, and lifestyles, and as such one must be respectful and tolerant of all of them. Of all of the holy buildings, crystal shops, and sacred spaces, there are two that stand out to me the most.

Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park is a must-see no matter where you stand on the spiritual spectrum. A Buddhist establishment, the peace park is free and open to the public 7-days a week, welcome to any and all walks of life, and is quite unlike any place I’ve ever been. The serenity in the air is intoxicating and if you remain open to it, you will leave feeling refreshed and totally content, grateful that such a place exists.

Of all of the crystal shops around, and there are plenty, my top pick is Crystal Magic. While the shop offers a wide range of crystals, stones, smudge sticks, and various reading material, the selling point is a man by the name of Cosmic Bob – yes, that’s his real name. If you’re in the mood to get existential and you’re ready to have your mind blown, pop in and have a chat with Cosmic, you won’t regret it.

Get Lost, Find Yourself

Sedona is smack-dab in the middle of Arizona, and while it’s a relatively compact town, there are wide stretches of open land all around it with even smaller towns scattered intermittently. You’re already way out there you may as well see what’s nearby.

Turn off the GPS, turn up the music, go for a drive, get ‘lost,’ and find your way back. Whether it’s the cows roaming in Cornville, the peculiar mountain town of Jerome, Gold King Mine Ghost Town, or the ancient ruins Montezuma’s Castle, you’re destined to find something eye catching that you may have missed otherwise.

Locals Only: Look Out for Wildlife

Last but definitely not least, I must stress the importance of keeping an eye out for wildlife, particularly while driving. Sedona locals include deer, bobcats, rattlesnakes, lizards, javelinas, roadrunners, hawks, coyotes, rabbits, and a multitude of other outdoor-living creatures. Please remember that while this may be a vacation destination for us humans, these natural wonders are home to thousands of other species and our presence need not negatively impact their livelihood. Be a respectful guest. Drive the speed limit, watch out for four-legged j-walkers, and clean up after yourself wherever you go. Be good to nature and nature will be good to you.

]]>http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/a-fast-guide-to-slowing-down-sedona-style/feed/0Where Realism and Trompe L’oeil Collide: Ariana Papademetropoulos’ Fantasy Worldhttp://livefastmag.com/2017/09/where-realism-and-trompe-loeil-collide-ariana-papademetropoulos-fantasy-world/
http://livefastmag.com/2017/09/where-realism-and-trompe-loeil-collide-ariana-papademetropoulos-fantasy-world/#respondMon, 18 Sep 2017 20:04:12 +0000http://livefastmag.com/?p=99546Ariana Papademetropoulos is no stranger to contradictions. Creating a world where realism and trompe l’oeil playfully coexist, the Los Angeles-based artist pieces together inspiration from imagined spaces, vintage magazines, and books. Her latest body of work, The man who saved a dog from an imaginary fire, references the rich history of painting while creating a fantastical world wrought with illusion.

‘spirit of Elvis be my sugar daddy’, oil on canvas, 60 x 60 in , 2017

You can see The man who saved a dog from an imaginary fire for yourself at Los Angeles’ Wilding Cran Gallery, anytime between now and October 26th.

Best thing about not dating a scientologist is that I can do acid again, oil on canvas, 84 x 60 in, 2017